A prominent New Zealand sportsman who stole more than $40,000 from his grandfather has pleaded guilty to deceiving a friend out of an additional $60,000.
The man was due to be sentenced for stealing from his grandfather at the Masterton District Court, but the fresh charge of obtaining by deception was filed Wednesday morning, for which he pleaded guilty.
The elderly relative and acquaintance are now tens of thousands of dollars in debt, after the man went to extreme lengths to steal the money last year. The sportsman impersonated the grandfather in order to increase his credit limit and manufactured conversations with his friend to get cash, claiming to be fighting a defamation battle against a media outlet.
The man reportedly stole to fuel a "secret gambling addiction", transferring a total of $41,400 from his grandfather’s account into his own in the space of just over a week, while the theft of $60,000 occurred over three weeks.
It's understood the sportsman was living with his grandfather at the time of the theft. After discovering the money had been taken, the grandfather tried to contact the man, but the sports star did not return calls and never went back to the family home.
Court documents show he eventually admitted what he had done to his mother. He still owes his grandfather $34,000 and reparation is being sought for the money stolen from his friend.
The court has ordered a drug and alcohol report completed, before the man is sentenced on all charges on March 18.
