Another plan has been put forward to earthquake strengthen and restore the chapel of the Sacred Heart in Island Bay Wellington. The plan is part of a proposed $30 million 94-townhouse development. Councillor Andy Foster, chairman of the transport and urban development committee, said early estimates that put the costs of the houses between $500,000 Read more
Victims of a major employee theft at the Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society could get an early Christmas present after a settlement was reached with insurers. A letter to members from Gordon Stewart, the Wellington lawyer who became president of the society in July, revealed that its former fidelity insurers had agreed to pay out $200,000. Read more
A civil claim against auditors of the Hibernian Credit Union, which is in liquidation as a result of a massive employee fraud, is set to be launched within weeks. Lawyers for both the credit union’s liquidators, and those acting for the still-solvent Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society, are in the final stages of preparing a claim Read more
Depositors in the fraud-hit Hibernian Credit Union face losing around two-thirds of their investment unless liquidators pursue damages claims, possibly through the courts.
In late January, at the request of the Registrar of Friendly Societies, John Fisk and Jeremy Morley of PricewaterhouseCoopers were appointed liquidators.
Hibernian was defrauded by its former accounts manager, Susan Hagai, who in October was jailed for four years and two months after pleading guilty to the long-running theft. Hagai admitted she may have stolen up to $1.5 million over seven years.
Read the article...A fraud victim, who is a pensioner that lost half her savings, says she is “dumbfounded” by the response to her plight, which has resulted in strangers insisting on sending her money.
Alola Frederickson, 73, became the face of the Hibernian Credit Union fraud last week, after she delivered a short victim-impact statement in Wellington District Court during the sentencing of Susan Terri Hagai.
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A Catholic credit union faces liquidation because of a former employee’s theft of more than $1 million from its accounts.
Susan Hagai, 44, was sentenced in the Wellington District Court on Friday to four years and two months in prison, having pleaded guilty last month to five charges of fraud.
Read the article...Over a period of six years while working for a national church society, Hibernian Susan Hagai pocketed more than $1.2 million from its members.
On Thursday, Hagai admitted a charge of obtaining by deception in the Wellington District Court.
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Michael Gibson, who managed the Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society until 2001, thinks the society’s auditors are liable if alleged illegal activity had been going on over a long period. Should this be the case the auditors need to cover the losses met by the members, he said. Grant Thornton Auditors’ chief executive Wayne Jackson refused to comment Read more
The Serious Fraud Office is investigating the Hibernian Society. A former employee has allegedly stolen more than $1 million from its members over a number of years. Chairman of the Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society Mike McBride says he was “absolutely devastated” when he discovered that a substantial amount of money was missing from the Society’s accounts “We’re extremely disappointed. I Read more