SFO charges ex-Sutton Group employees with attempted fraud

Tuesday 25th September 2012

The Serious Fraud Office has laid 33 charges in the Auckland District Court against two former employees of dairy producer Sutton Group it says were trying to defraud the Auckland-based company.

Paul Normington and Jin Weifing joint face charges of theft, dishonesty using a document and taking secret commissions, the SFO said in a statement. The pair are accused of trying to defraud Sutton by creating false invoices, theft of product or receiving secret commissions from a supplier to Sutton, and Normington allegedly copied electronic files to help him set up a rival business.

"This is a case about potential loss avoided, rather than actual loss, in an industry that has national importance to New Zealand," outgoing chief executive Adam Feeley said. "This is a good example of how we can be involved in issues prior to a risk crystallising."

Sutton Group is a privately-owned food, beverages and dairy company, set up by Brent and Denise Sutton. The group also has packaging and engineering units.

Normington was employed as a purchasing manager at Sutton Group between September 2008 and December 2011, while Weifing worked as a purchasing assistant and warehouse manager between November 2008 and January 2012.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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