Neha and Amandeep Sharma laundered millions, fled to India, and now face justice in New Zealand
A married couple of Indian origin who defrauded New Zealand’s child welfare ministry of over NZ$2 million used part of the proceeds to fly business class to India via Singapore Airlines.
Between 2021 and 2022, Neha Sharma, then employed as Property and Facilities Manager at Oranga Tamariki, New Zealand’s Ministry for Children, orchestrated an elaborate scheme to funnel over NZ$2.1 million to her husband’s company, Divine Connection Ltd. Despite the company not being on the official contractor list, Sharma manipulated internal systems, approved 326 invoices, and bypassed conflict-of-interest protocols.
Neha used forged references to secure her job and misrepresented her husband, Amandeep Sharma, as an independent contractor. She also enlisted a friend within the ministry to redirect contracts toward Divine Connection. Funds from these payments went toward personal purchases, including home electronics.
By late 2022, internal audits flagged suspicious patterns, revealing that Divine Connection was registered to Neha’s home address. This prompted her sudden resignation. The case was handed over to New Zealand’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO), which raided the couple’s Christchurch property in March 2023, seizing three properties, three vehicles, and NZ$800,000 in liquid assets.
In an attempt to erase their trail, the couple altered company records, replacing Amandeep’s name with that of an unwitting acquaintance. They quickly transferred NZ$800,000 to Indian bank accounts and prepared to flee the country.
Business Class Escape to Chennai
On April 14, 2023, Neha and Amandeep Sharma boarded a Singapore Airlines business class flight from New Zealand to Chennai via Singapore. They carried 80kg of luggage and booked one-way tickets, despite being under active investigation. Authorities described their departure as a calculated attempt to evade prosecution.
The New Zealand Police and Indian authorities cooperated to freeze the transferred funds. Meanwhile, the High Court issued a restraining order on their New Zealand assets under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
In June 2023, Neha Sharma returned to New Zealand voluntarily after giving birth in India and was later sentenced to three years in prison. She is currently housed with her child in a mothers and babies unit. Amandeep Sharma, who also pleaded guilty, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 19, 2025.
Institutional Fallout and Reform
Following the case, Oranga Tamariki CEO Andrew Bridgman called it a “serious breach of public trust” and confirmed reforms had been introduced to strengthen internal controls. The SFO Director Karen Chang emphasized that “offending of this kind erodes public confidence and harms New Zealand’s reputation as a safe place to invest.”
The case also prompted renewed scrutiny on employee vetting, particularly in sensitive government agencies. It serves as a reminder of how even internal roles can be exploited if not rigorously monitored.
This high-profile fraud case has revealed deep vulnerabilities in public sector oversight and highlighted the ease with which financial criminals can cross borders. As New Zealand tightens controls and reclaims stolen funds, the matter serves as a warning across Asia-Pacific—including Singapore and Indonesia—of the pressing need for cross-border financial vigilance, public trust protection, and transparent contractor practices in government sectors.
Sources: Aviation A2Z (2025) , Independent (2025)
Keywords: Neha Sharma, Amandeep Sharma, New Zealand Fraud, Singapore Airlines Flight, Oranga Tamariki Scam, Business Class Escape
