29 Mar 2023

Former family violence prevention charity boss stole $44,000 from organisation

4:25 pm on 29 March 2023
Exterior signage at the Manukau District Court

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

The former head of family violence prevention charity Pacific Island Safety and Prevention Project has been found guilty of using fake invoices to steal around $44,000 dollars from the organisation.

In a reserved decision, Betty Sio was found guilty on two charges of dishonestly using a document after a judge-alone trial in the Manukau District Court in January.

Sio helped to establish the charity and was chief executive from 2009 until 2015.

Another employee of the charity has admitted nine charges of dishonesty using a document.

Between them they stole around $260,000.

Sio is still to be sentenced.