A Defence Force employee has been accused of stealing $225,000 in funds administered by the NZDF.
Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) alleges Paniparewhakaro Elizabeth Rangiuia, 60, embezzled the money over seven years from accounts holding funds raised by Defence Force social clubs.
Rangiuia appeared today in the Levin District Court on three charges of theft by person in a special relationship and one charge of false accounting.
The SFO, which brought the charges, claims Rangiuia gambled much of the money.
She was remanded on bail to reappear in the Levin District Court for plea on 5 March.
Rangiuia was employed by the Defence Force from 1987 until her dismissal in September 2018, the SFO said. She worked as a financial administrator of club‐related non‐public funds at Waiouru Military Training Facility from 2009.
The Army Non-Public Funds are a registered charity. The money is intended to be spent on the health, wellbeing and retention of army personnel, and is not taxpayers' money.