Home detention for ‘selfserving’ thief

QUEENSTOWN

A FORMER Queenstown holiday apartment manager who swindled two women of more than $230,000 has avoided jail.

Matthew James Moller Christensen (30) was employed by Julie Jack in 2014 to manage apartments at the Mantra Marina — now known as the Marina Apartments — the Oak Shores and Oaks Club complexes in Frankton Rd.

In early 2016, without her knowledge, he entered a contract with Carole Greenwell to manage two Oaks Shore apartments she owned, and which were the highestperforming units across the three complexes.

From March 23, 2016 to May 22, 2018, the two apartments earned $191,020.46 after commission and expenses were deducted.

The money was paid into a bank account that received income from all the apartments, but Christensen transferred it into his personal bank account in a series of deposits.

In 2018, Ms Jack learned of Christensen’s contract with Ms Greenwell, and the two women began sharing information.

Their investigation revealed that of the $191,020.46 he had misappropriated from Ms Jack, he had on paid $152,641.98 to Ms Greenwell.

From the latter sum, he had retained a total of $41,458.34 as commission when commission had already been deducted, and that amount belonged to Ms Greenwell.

He was duly fired by Ms Jack. In November, Christensen admitted two charges of theft by a person in a special relationship.

The guilty pleas followed his acceptance of a sentence indication of 15 months’ prison — a sentence likely to be converted to home detention if a presentence report proved favourable.

The defendant, who now lives in Auckland, appeared in the Queenstown District Court by video link on Tuesday for sentencing by Judge Russell Walker.

Judge Walker said the report concluded the offending was the result of ‘‘poor problemsolving and a sense of entitlement’’.

The defendant had no previous criminal history and accepted his actions were wrong, but had shown a ‘‘selfserving’’ attitude by being unwilling to provide more information about his offending.

He was convicted and sentenced to seven months’ home detention at an Auckland address, and ordered to pay reparation of $41,458.34 to Ms Greenwell.

He must pay $15,000 of that sum immediately, then $1000 a month until the reparation amount is paid in full.

He must abide by postdetention conditions for six months, including not to engage in any employment, business or voluntary work without permission from the Probation Service.