Woman jailed in family wage subsidy fraud

Ashleigh Dunasemante was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months imprisonment when she appeared in Auckland District Court on 22 April on charges related to fraudulent claims made between April 2020 and September 2021 which resulted in $145,278.40 being paid into private accounts.

Ashleigh Dunasemante had earlier pleaded guilty to two representative charges of using forged documents, one charge of using forged documents, and one representative charge of dishonestly taking or using a document.

She used a number of business and individual names and IRD numbers to make the fraudulent COVID-19 Wage Subsidy scheme applications. She had no connection to any of the businesses or individuals she used for these applications.

The money received was then transferred between her account and the accounts of her parents and her then partner.

Her parents Andre Dunasemant and Shelley Dunasemant were sentenced to 4 months and 2 months community detention respectively after each earlier pleaded guilty to a representative charge of receiving.

The first of Dunasemante’s representative charge of forgery covered seven claims totalling $74,982.40 which were paid into her personal bank account.

Her second representative charge of forgery was connected with her parents Andre and Shelley Dunasemant’s representative charge of receiving.

Dunasemante made forged applications resulting in $56,236.80 being paid into her parents’ bank account. Her parents then transferred $40,500 to their daughter’s account. Mr and Mrs Dunasemant also received $8,500 into their bank account following forged applications by their daughter.

Her separate charge of forgery related to an application for $14,059.20 which was deposited into an account belonging to her partner at the time.

Her final representative charge of dishonest use of a document related to 52 unsuccessful claims she made, totalling $567,989.20.

District Court Judge Katherine Maxwell noted during sentencing that there was a significant amount of fraud and losses, and the sophistication and duration of the fraud.

She also noted the breach of trust and personal financial gain were also relevant factors, and that this was higher than other sentencing authorities for similar wage subsidy cases.

A total of 59 people have been sentenced in wage subsidy cases, and another 47 people are still before the courts as part of MSD’s programme of work on wage subsidy fraud and integrity. Since the scheme started, more than $830 million* in wage subsidies has been repaid.

For more information about the Wage Subsidy Integrity and Fraud Programme please see here.

*Figures at 31 December 2025