Fraud

The Serious Fraud Office yesterday executed search warrants in Auckland on WSD Global Markets Ltd, a New Zealand stock exchange-accredited futures and options company.

A former All Black and Otago halfback has been convicted of fraudulently billing the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) for treatments his clients never received.

Convicted fraudster Michael Swann has been ordered to pay $6 million to the Crown and forfeit $4.4 million worth of property bought with money stolen from the Otago District Health Board.

"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," is good advice.

Three men have been indicted on federal charges that accuse them of conning people in more than 60 countries into buying $100 million in bogus software by convincing them their computers were infected by malicious programs.

Auckland police want help to identify two men who may be involved in a possible property fraud ring.

Fallout from fraud charges levelled against Goldman Sachs Group will be felt around the world with financial markets already starting to be affected as investor sentiment sours.

A 37-year-old woman, who is alleged to have fraudulently claimed money from food outlets for poor-quality food, turned herself in to Dunedin police last night.

A former bank investment adviser who stole nearly $18 million and then spent $3.4 million of it on two sex workers will spend at least four years in jail.