Auckland Project Manager Sentenced Following $28,000 Covid-19 Relief Fraud

Auckland project manager Shelvin Kavish Swamy has been sentenced to community detention after defrauding nearly $30,000 from high-trust Covid-19 relief schemes.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 16, 2026, 3:50 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

Exploitation of High-Trust Pandemic Schemes

The court heard that Swamy’s fraudulent activity began in May 2020, when he applied for a loan through the Small Business Cashflow Scheme. Despite certifying his eligibility, his company, Swamy Investment Limited, had no discernible business activity at the time. Over the following two years, Swamy intensified his efforts, applying for seven Resurgence Support Payments and three Covid Support Payments under the name Northshore Plant Holdings Limited. In total, he successfully obtained $28,351.01 to which he was not entitled.

Misuse of Funds and Repayment

Investigation into the misappropriated funds revealed that approximately half of the money was spent on personal daily expenses, including groceries, petrol, fast food, and alcohol. Judge Debra Anne Bell noted that Swamy had lost his job in the construction industry following the discovery of the fraud. However, the court also acknowledged that Swamy had demonstrated remorse by repaying $24,000 of the stolen funds prior to his sentencing and highlighted his previous history of good character.

Judicial Ruling and Sentence

Inland Revenue representatives emphasized that Swamy took deliberate advantage of schemes designed to provide rapid relief to genuine businesses during a national crisis. While the charges of obtaining by deception could have carried a more severe penalty, Judge Bell settled on three months of community detention. Swamy was also ordered to repay the remaining $4,351 balance of the fraudulent claims.