Events in the saga played out over more than a decade are detailed below:
Feb 1996: Swann filed his own petition for bankruptcy in the High Court at Dunedin, owing $1.1 million from failed computer company.1998: Ross Black becomes ODHB chairman.
Aug 1998: ODHB finance and corporate general manager Ewan Soper appointed.
May 1998: Swann employed by ODHB (then HealthCare Otago) on a full-time basis as a technical leader.
Dec 1998: Swann appointed business unit manager for information systems and technology.
1999: Richard Thomson becomes ODHB chairman, succeeding Mr Black who stays on board.
March 1999: Swann discharged from bankruptcy.
Nov 1999: Swann becomes chief information officer with purchasing powers.
Nov 2000: Sonnford Solutions incorporated by Harford at Companies Office (after invoices in its name already tendered to ODHB).
Aug 2000: First of a total 198 Sonnford invoices, spanning six years, tendered to ODHB for payments totalling $16.9 million.
Dec 2001: Ross Black leaves.
Feb 2003: Brian Rousseau appointed ODHB chief executive.
Oct 2003: ODHB finance and corporate general manager Ewan Soper leaves.
2006: Southland District Health Board chief financial officer Robert Mackway-Jones, who began working with the ODHB in 2003, formally seconded to the ODHB.
Sept 2006: Two Sonnford invoices tendered, but referred to ODHB's chief financial officer Robert Mackway-Jones and chief executive Brian Rousseau, prompting internal investigation.
Oct 3, 2006: ODHB employee suspended by ODHB over possible fraud worth millions of dollars and Serious Fraud Office asked to investigate.
Oct 11, 2006: Swann named as suspended ODHB employee.
Oct 19, 2006: Swann sacked by ODHB for "gross mismanagement"; range of his assets seized under High Court asset protection order by ODHB including Otago properties, vehicles and boats.
Oct 27, 2006: ODHB lodges civil claim against Swann for losses of $16 million. Separate SFO investigation continues.
Nov 2006: Privately owned 50m vessel Townsend Cromwell, in which Swann has interests, returns to Dunedin from Fiji and detained under High Court order. Later, Swann and others defendants agree not to attempt to sell assets.
Nov 2006: Deleted invoice files on Harford's home computer "undeleted" by SFO forensic accountant.
Nov 21, 2006: Opposition grills then Labour government health minister Pete Hodgson in Parliament on Swann issue.
May 2007: ODHB legal budget blown out by $1 million, due mainly to Swann investigation
May 27, 2007: SFO files three fraud charges against Swann and Harford totaling $16.9 million.
Oct 2007: Swann convicted and discharged of assault against a TV3 cameraman in Nov 2006 outside his Dunedin house, the historic Ferntree Lodge. Convicted and ordered to pay $1700 reparation for damage to a $100,000 camera.
Nov 18, 2008: Jury trial of Swann and Harford begins with counsel for both claiming they did not act dishonestly or with intent to defraud.
Dec 5, 2008: Three-week trial ends. Guilty verdict returned by jury against Swann and Harford after more than 10 hours.
