Realtor sentenced for $150,000 fraud scheme

A real estate agent has been convicted at the Christchurch District Court for being involved in her husband’s fraudulent commission scheme.

According to the Serious Fraud Office, Shirley Anne Johnston, 66, of Wanaka, obtained 13 commission payments that she was not entitled to from the Selwyn District Council. She was paid nearly $149,094 for her purported work as an agent.

Her husband and co-defendant Stephen Gubb is currently serving jail sentence of two years and nine months fraudulently obtaining commission payments of more than $300,000 from the district council.

Now, Johnston was sentenced to seven months’ home detention and 200 hours of community work on a single representative charge of obtaining by deception.