Director pleads guilty to SFO charges

Strategic Planning Group Director pleads guilty to SFO charges

Andrew Hrothgar Robinson (42) has entered guilty pleas in the Auckland High Court today to charges laid by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

Following investigations by the SFO and the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) into the activities of Auckland based company Strategic Planning Group Limited (SPG), the SFO filed five charges of theft by a person in a special relationship and one charge of dishonestly using a document against the former financial adviser Andrew Robinson in September 2013. Today Mr Robinson pleaded guilty to all of those charges.

Mr Robinson was a director of Strategic Planning Group Limited (SPG).

Mr Robinson stole investor funds of approximately $2.7 million to repay the investments of other investors and to pay for some business and personal expenses between 2010 and 2012. Mr Robinson also dishonestly used a document by making false statements in various investment reports to hide the true picture from investors.

SFO Director, Julie Read said, “The SFO is pleased that this matter has been resolved by a plea of guilty. The investors in this matter took appropriate precautions and reasonably believed they were dealing with an honest advisor. Unfortunately, this is not always enough to protect people from fraud as has proved to be the case in this instance.”

Mr Robinson has been remanded in custody and will appear for a disputed facts hearing on 2 June. A sentencing date is yet to be set.

ENDS

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