Convicted fraudster Peter Scutts gets 8 months home detention over kickbacks

Friday 10th July 2015

Peter Scutts, the former head of New Zealand Wine Co, has been sentenced to eight months home detention after being found guilty of fraud in May.

Scutts was today sentenced in the High Court in Auckland, after being found guilty of 16 charges under the Crimes Act relating to dishonestly using a document, a violation that can result in up to seven year imprisonment, and one Secret Commissions Act charge of taking kickbacks, mostly during his time as NZWC’s chief executive from July 2011 to September 2012, the Serious Fraud Office, which brought the case, said in a statement.

On advice from Scutts, NZWC entered into a contract to supply wine to an Australia based wine wholesaler. However, he didn't advise the NZWC board that he was earning commissions from the wholesaler. Scutts was found to have taken $64,000 in secret commissions from the Australian-based wholesaler while he was head of NZWC.

NZWC, whose wine brands include Grove Mill, Sanctuary and Frog Haven, has since merged with Foley Family Wines, the Californian winemaker owned by entrepreneur Bill Foley.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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