$4.7 Million Of Stolen Money Gambled In Christchurch

“Christchurch is off to a bad start in 2007, defending its dubious title as the gambling-related crime capital of New Zealand,” says John Stansfield, CEO for the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand (PGF).

“Yet again, a business has been run to the ground and its customers left out of pocket because of a gambling problem,” says Mr Stansfield.

“The Christchurch community and its businesses are suffering because of people committing fraud and theft to fund their gambling and it is costing them significant amounts of money,” says David Coom, PGF’s South Island Regional Manager.

“From cases reported in the media, we know of over $4.7 million that has been embezzled or stolen which the gambling industry has gladly taken,” says Mr Coom.

“These are only the cases where a clear link between the amount of money stolen and a gambling problem is reported. We believe that the relationship between crime and gambling goes much deeper,” says Mr Coom.

“If only $4.7 million was reported as being criminally obtained in Christchurch, I would hate to think what the real figure is both in Christchurch and nationally,” says Stansfield.

“The other question we should be asking is, how much unreported crime is the result of problem gambling?” says Stansfield.

"Now every taxpayer in the country will have to pick up the cost of prosecution and possibly incarceration. In problem gambling we all lose," says Stansfield.

Cases of gambling-related crime in Christchurch include:
• Man committed six knife-point robberies to fund his gambling problem (September, 2006)
• Man committed public nuisance offences because he of his gambling and alcohol problems (September, 2006)
• Catering manager stole $6872 from his employer for gambling (September, 2006)
• WINZ case manager fraudulently accessed $102,475 by inventing a client so that he could gamble the money (Christchurch, July 2006)
• Man with a history of fraud, defrauded second employer of $5761 for gambling (Christchurch, July 2006)
• Lawyer defrauded client of $699,942 for lifestyle and gambling (Christchurch, April 2006)
• Trusted employee from a car hire company stole $16,793 from his employer for his gambling problem (October 2005)
• Machinery operator stole $231,399 from his employer for gambling (October, 2005)
• Board member stole $22,382 from a trust for a gambling problem (August, 2005)
• Manager of a Sumner restaurant stole more that $16,000 for a gambling problem (August, 2005)
• Key accounts manager stole $265,944 for gambling (June, 2005)
• Christchurch bank teller embezzled $380,800 for gambling on pokies (April, 2005)
• Business woman stole $186,000 to gamble at Christchurch Casino (March, 2005)
• Hong Kong used car salesman swindled $275,000 from Chinese students (March 2005)
• Salesman conned customers out of $27,750 to feed a gambling problem (September, 2004)
• Woman stole $3000 from her employer and faked a burglary to fund her gambling problem (March, 2004)
• Woman stole $10,000 from her employer to fund her husband’s gambling problem (March, 2004)
• Woman stole $9012 from her employer to fund a gambling problem (August, 2003)
• Lawyer stole $1.78million by fraud and forgery to gamble at Christchurch Casino (March, 2003)

“However, it is not all doom and gloom. If you think know someone with a gambling problem contact us now on 0800 664 262 before it becomes a problem with the law. PGF provides free and confidential services to anyone with – or affected by problem gambling.”

ENDS

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