A subcontractor sentenced to home detention on fraud and corruption charges relating to the awarding of road maintenance contracts has had name suppression lifted.
Brian Ravening, whose name had been suppressed until now, pleaded guilty in February to one charge of obtaining by deception approximately $631,000 and two charges of corruptly giving gifts to an agent amounting to approximately $615,000.
At the Auckland District Court in June he was sentenced to 12 months’ home detention and ordered to make a reparation payment of $300,000.
Ravening was among five involved in the case to plead guilty, with the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) charging two other subcontractors, a contract manager and maintenance manager.
The architect of the schemes, former contract manager at Broadspectrum Jason Koroheke, accepted gifts in exchange for awarding work, as well as submitting false invoices to obtain significant benefits for himself.
Three subcontractors – Frederick Pou, Richard Motilal and Ravening – and former Broadspectrum maintenance manager Aurelian Mihai Hossu (also known as Michael Hossu), were also charged.
“The subcontractors submitted invoices to Broadspectrum, both real and false, which Mr Koroheke authorised,” the SFO said.
“Once Broadspectrum paid the subcontractors, they used this money to provide gifts to Mr Koroheke in the form of cash, goods or services worth over $1 million.”
Koroheke pleaded guilty in July to three charges of obtaining by deception and 14 charges of acceptance of gifts by an agent between January 2015 and November 2018. He was expected to be sentenced on November 29 at the Auckland District Court.
Hossu pleaded guilty in April 2022 to four charges of acceptance of gifts by an agent and was sentenced to 11 months’ home detention in June 2022 and ordered to make a reparation payment of $90,000.
Motilal of Engineering & Aviation Supplies pleaded guilty to three charges of corruptly giving gifts to an agent in February 2023. He was sentenced in August last year to nine months’ home detention and ordered to pay $25,000 in reparation.
Pou, of Coastal Roading Contractors, pleaded guilty to corruptly giving an agent gifts totalling $626,000 to secure contracts in May. His sentencing is scheduled for January 17 next year.
“This case serves as a reminder that the SFO is committed to maintaining New Zealand’s reputation for transparency, integrity, and low levels of fraud and corruption, particularly where there are links to public sector funding,” SFO director Karen Chang said.
“Pursuing serious and complex cases of this nature is important in deterring future offending and safeguarding that reputation.”
