Mortgage fraud absconder pleads guilty

Aucklander Simon Turnbull finally appeared in court today to admit his part in a multi-million dollar fraud case.

Turnbull pleaded guilty to 16 charges of “obtaining by deception or causing loss by deception” under the Crimes Act, which were laid by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

The charges, which date back to a period between September 2006 and August 2007, relate to Turnbull’s involvement in a mortgage fraud.

The fraud involved false loan applications being submitted to a fund management company to purchase 16 properties in and around the Auckland region.