Media releases
Sentenced on Working for Families fraud
Faaipo Seelu Tepulolo appeared for sentence in the Auckland District Court on 8 September. She had previously entered guilty pleas to charges of knowingly not providing information to Inland Revenue (IR) to get the Working for Families (WfF) tax credits; and providing altered, false, incomplete or misleading information.
She was sentenced to 12 months community detention and 12 months intensive supervision. The Judge noted the intensive supervision would give Tepulolo access to budgeting programs.
Since 2002 Tepulolo claimed payments for 18 children including her biological children, adoptive children and children in her extended family.
At various times between 2009 and 2016 she either knowingly provided Inland Revenue with false or misleading information or failed to provide information so she could get WfF payments she was not entitled to. She received over-payments of nearly $76,000.
Working for Families helps low-income families meet the costs of raising dependent children under 18 and entitlements under the scheme are based on a family’s annual income and personal circumstances.
Among the requirements to be eligible a person needs to be responsible for the day-to-day care of the child or the children, not just temporary care.
Many times, between 2002 and 2016, Inland Revenue reminded Tepulolo that she had to tell IR if the number of children in her care changed or circumstances changed.
Customs records showed several of the children she claimed she was caring for left New Zealand for periods of time, and another had died. School records also showed some of the children she claimed to care for were enrolled at school’s outside Auckland.
In 2017, Inland Revenue started an investigation into Tepulolo’s tax affairs focusing on the WfF tax credits. It showed she knew the relevant criteria and her corresponding obligations.
Last updated:
09 Sep 2025