Indian-origin couple defrauds $2 million in New Zealand through secret marriage, flees to Chennai, wanted to retire at 35

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Neha Sharma, Amandeep Sharma convicted of fraud in New Zealand. (Photo: Social media)

Neha Sharma and her husband Amandeep Sharma have pleaded responsible to a number of fraud expenses in New Zealand after they conned a New Zealand authorities company out of greater than $2 million.When their secret association got here in the general public, they booked one-way tickets on Singapore Airlines to Chennai, in enterprise class, the New Zealand Herald reported.

How did the Indian-origin couple defraud the federal government company?

Neha Sharma was a supervisor at Orange Tamariki, the ministry of kids, in New Zealand. Her colleagues didn’t know that she was married to Amandeep Sharma, the director of Divine Connection which was silently added to the ministry’s checklist of contractors — in a grave battle of curiosity. “We have a strong plan in place … and I’ll help you for changing into an entrepreneur. Celebrate retiring under 35! Not many get this chance,” Neha messaged her husband when concerns were raised in the office about this particular contractor — as the paperwork had some gaps. The duo continued to dupe the agency for two years with Neha using her access to pass on favors to her husband’s company. The police recovered their chats they exchanged whenever there was any suspicion in the agency.In March 2023, the Serious Fraud Office raided the couple’s property and it was found out that they obtained more than $2 million from Oranga Tamariki. At that time, they both resigned from their respective positions. Within two weeks after the raid on their properties, the couple booked two one-way tickets to Chennai. They boarded the flight with 80 kg of luggage between them. Before leaving, they tried to liquidate their properties and cars and transferred under $800,000 in cash from their bank accounts in New Zealand to accounts held in India.

Neha shows no remorse, blames ‘baby brain’

Neha Sharma was jailed in the High Court at Christchurch earlier this month for three years. She blamed the scam on baby brain — a state of impaired memory supposedly experience during pregnancy or after giving birth. There was no evidence of remorse or offer of reparation in her, the report said. The couple’s older child had been taken back to India with Amandeep‘s sister. Amandeep pleaded guilty last week and is awaiting sentence which will take place in June.