Former Auckland accountant Christopher Wright was jailed after betting $ 1 million on 245 clients.

A former Auckland chartered accountant who played with his clients’ tax refunds and stole more than $ 1 million has been jailed for nearly four years.

Christopher George Wright, 64, stole about $ 1.01 million from 245 customers over a six-year period from January 2010 to April 2016.

He was sentenced this morning in Auckland District Court by Judge Russell Collins to three years and nine months in prison.

Wright pleaded guilty last March to one representative theft per person charge in a special relationship filed by the Office of Serious Fraud (OFS).

In a statement, the OFS said that tax refunds destined for Wright’s clients were deposited into the trust account of his accounting practice.

He then spent the repayments on gambling, friends and family, school fees, and loan repayments.

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OFS Director Julie Read said Wright’s prison sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense, which he added was premeditated, repetitive and long-lasting.

“Mr. Wright violated his professional duties and misled his clients for a personal gain of more than $ 1 million. His offense was a significant breach of trust and he will now suffer the consequences of his actions.”

“The prosecution of such matters is an important aspect of protecting New Zealand’s reputation as a safe place to invest and do business.”

Wright’s sentence had been delayed several times before, including while a mental health report was being conducted.

The court previously heard that Wright had had a brain tumor removed in the past, suffered a stroke, three heart attacks and underwent open-heart surgery.

His attorney, Shane Tait, claimed that this changed his client’s personality and that it had affected his ability to show remorse after his offense during the interview process.

But Tait said Wright was sorry.