A former manager of a Hamilton-based social services provider has been jailed for nearly two and half years for fraud.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said Hemo Kerewai Thompson, 58, stole about $175,000 from the Raukura Waikato Social Services Trust over a four year period to February 2015.
She pleaded guilty to 167 charges of theft in a special relationship and one of obtaining by deception - laid by the SFO.
Thompson was sentenced in the Hamilton District Court this morning.
The SFO said Thompson disguised her activities as genuine expenditure.
"Ms Thompson's offending came at a cost to Raukura and the people that the social services provider helped," SFO director Julie Read said.
"Thompson abused her position of authority ... she had control over Raukura's funds and knew the appropriate way to deal with the funds.
"She intentionally departed from those terms for her own personal benefit while Raukura struggled to make ends meet."
The trust is in liquidation.
