A Wainuiomata woman was sentenced to community detention on 13 March for charges relating to COVID-19 relief fraud.
Sonam Godara pleaded guilty to using a Small Business Cashflow Scheme (SBCS) document to get a loan, and Resurgence Support Payments (RSP) to get money she wasn’t entitled to.
Godara also used forged documents from two banks in support of her claims. She was sentenced in the Wellington District Court.
Yazmed Ltd was started in January 2021 by Godara’s mother and she was appointed a director in March that year. In July the same year Godara’s mother advised the company hadn’t traded and was to be wound up.
In August 2021, when further COVID lock downs were announced, businesses were able to apply for the RSP and apply for a SBCS loan. That month Godara told the Companies Office she was the sole director of Yazmed Ltd and changed the company’s bank account details to her personal bank account number.
She applied for both kinds of COVID-19 relief, confirming she met the criteria for each.
The SBCS loan application was made fraudulently, as the company was not operating at the time of the application and had not been in operation for six months prior.
Seven RSP applications were made fraudulently as the company was not in business at the time of each application nor had it been in business for the required period of time prior to each application.
The first RSP application Godara filed was placed under review. As part of the review, in October 2021, she provided two forged Westpac Bank statements in her own name purporting sales that had occurred to prove the company was in operation.
Additional forged Westpac Bank statements, in her own name and in the name of the company, were provided in November 2021 and all as supporting documents to an RSP application.
In September 2023, after Godara was notified that an audit had commenced on the company and was asked to provide further information as part of the audit, she provided three forged ANZ Bank statements in the name of the company.
She fraudulently applied for $30,603.60 and received $21,600 which the company was not entitled to.
Godara has repaid all the money received for the SBCS loan and RSP applications. A total of $27,737.43 (including interest) was paid.
The Court was told this offending spanned two years and involved a gross breach of trust at a time of national crisis.
At sentencing Godara sought a discharge without conviction. This was declined by the Court. She was convicted and sentenced to 16 weeks’ community detention, including a nighttime curfew.