In the Auckland District Court, Im was sentenced to four years and four and a half months’ imprisonment.
Serious Fraud Office (SFO) director Karen Chang said Im’s offending was a “deliberate abuse of public money” intended to support people and businesses during the pandemic.
“Im created a complex web of fake companies and forged documents to exploit support schemes designed to help struggling businesses and families.
“He stole the personal information of tenants and jobseekers to make his fraud appear legitimate. The money he obtained was used to fund his lifestyle, including purchasing a luxury vehicle and apartment.”
The case was referred to the SFO by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) following its own inquiries.
The investigation later uncovered suspected fraud across multiple government agencies.
George Van Ooyen, MSD group general manager, said Im took advantage of a high-trust system.
“The scale of his actions shows a disregard for the wider community and people who were feeling genuine hardship at that time.
“We will continue working closely with other government agencies to investigate these cases and expect further prosecutions to come.”
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