Hutt woman guilty of $124,000 benefit fraud

A Lower Hutt woman claimed to be a solo mother and that her children's father was living in Poland so she could defraud the Government of more than $124,000 in benefits.

In reality, Georgina Ann Marie Nelson shared a 10-year relationship with the man and lived with him, their two children and her two children from previous relationships. Nelson, 42, known as "Georgie", pleaded guilty in New Plymouth District Court to benefit fraud and will be sentenced on February 19.

Her former partner, who has a different surname which he shares with his children, said he handed her his $600 weekly pay to cover the family's bills and found out about the fraud only after their relationship ended last year. "I felt deceived. I was out working fulltime supporting the family. All the bills were paid by her. Even then, we were scratching around for money."

The couple lived in Naenae but, since the break-up, had both moved to the Taranaki area.

Nelson, of Inglewood, south of New Plymouth, unlawfully received benefits totalling $124,708 from April 2000 to January 2008.

According to court documents, she told Social Development Ministry officials her children's father lived in Poland and she had a male boarder living with her.

On benefit application forms, she claimed to be a solo mother. She denied being "in a relationship in the nature of marriage" in interviews with investigators.

At present she is repaying the debt at $20 a week from her continuing benefit. She said she could not comment because her lawyer had told her not to. "There's a lot more to it than what meets the eye and yes, I'm guilty, but I can't talk without her [the lawyer] saying yes."

Social Development Ministry deputy chief executive Hilary Reynolds said benefit fraud exceeding $100,000 accounted for less than 1 per cent of cases. "Eight years is a long time to practise such deception. Georgina Nelson is now facing the consequences of her actions."

Nelson's former partner said: "It's not just me and the kids she's ripped off. She's ripped off every single New Zealander."

- © Fairfax NZ News