Indian Couple Tried in $2m Fraud After Business Class Escape

An Indian-origin couple is facing justice in New Zealand after fleeing the country on a business class flight following a NZ$2.1m fraud scheme targeting the Ministry for Children, Oranga Tamariki.

Neha Sharma, who used fake references to secure a managerial role at the ministry in 2021, was sentenced this month to three years in prison. Her husband, Amandeep Sharma, awaits sentencing in June after also pleading guilty.

Between July 2021 and October 2022, Neha approved over 100 payments to Amandeep’s construction company, Divine Connection Ltd, which was not an authorised vendor. The company was secretly registered to their Christchurch home, and the couple failed to disclose their marriage, breaching conflict-of-interest rules.

The fraud came to light during an internal audit, leading to a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation. Authorities discovered the couple had funneled nearly NZ$800,000 into Indian accounts and attempted to liquidate properties and vehicles before flying one-way to Chennai in April 2023 on Singapore Airlines.

Despite their escape attempt, New Zealand police, working with Indian authorities, froze the transferred funds and secured court orders to restrain their assets under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act.

Neha later returned to New Zealand with her newborn and remains incarcerated with her baby in a mothers and babies unit. She also admitted to forging documents to obtain her position at the ministry.

The SFO described the convictions as a vital step in reinforcing public trust and the need for integrity in public service roles.