Te Kūiti’s $2.5 million fraudster Sharon Bradley to be released on parole

A Te Kūiti woman who stole $2.5 million over a 12-year period from her employer and a client is to be released on parole.

Sharon Margaret Bradley, 63, is currently serving a total sentence of four years and 10 months’ imprisonment after stealing the money from her employer Lionel Smith Accounting, where she worked as a part-time accountant.

She used her position to steal money from their valued client, Eight Mile Farms Ltd.

Bradley was initially charged with stealing $2,002,332.51.

However, a forensic accountant hired during later civil proceedings uncovered another separate bank account hiding $425,000.

Eight Mile Farms took out civil proceedings in the High Court Civil to get some of the stolen returned.

Open Justice understands they were successful.

Bradley was jailed on January 14, 2021 and was eligible for parole from May 19.

She had been kept in minimum security and the parole board stated there had been no misconduct during her time, “although there had been some mention that other inmates find Ms Bradley has a sense of entitlement”.

“She appears to have done well on this sentence,” they wrote.

But the board described her offending as “serious”.

Sharon Margaret Bradley hides her face as she leaves the Te Kūiti District Court in June 2021. Photo / Belinda Feek

“It is our view it was driven not only by financial instability, but also by greed.”

Bradley was now bankrupt but had hoped to work eventually, despite being hamstrung by special release conditions not allowing her to work in any businesses or trusts.

She had a new qualification after finishing a two-year creative art diploma and participated in a mobility dog programme and a restorative justice conference with the victims.

However, the board said more importantly, Bradley had “demonstrated that she has changed in the way she thinks and problem-solves”.

Fraudster Sharon Margaret Bradley appearing during her sentencing in the Te Kūiti District Court in January 2021. Photo / Mike Scott

She was also said to have addressed the root cause of her offending.

“She knows now that she shut people out and relied on herself to solve problems.

“Her family is now aware of those issues and will hold her to account.

“She has learned not to be passive and to improve her communication with her family and supporters.”

Through her counsel, she tried to get two of her release conditions relaxed; not to enter Te Kūiti without approval from her probation officer and not having any interest or role in any trust.

The board said given the work Bradley had done in prison, they were satisfied that she no longer posed an undue risk to the community.

However, although granting parole, the board declined to relax the two conditions she requested.

The Te Kūiti condition was designed to provide for the “reasonable concerns of the victims to avoid causing any further trauma to them”.

“We have been advised that this is the case in terms of the rationale for the condition,” but the board said she could apply for it to be varied at a later date.

Bradley’s other conditions are that she resides at her address, does not move without approval, must attend any programmes, must get approval before starting or changing her employment, does not contact the victims and does not give financial or business advice or handle money.

Bradley, who had moved to Te Awamutu before being jailed, will be paroled on May 29.