New Zealanders will be grief-stricken at the news of Eric Watson’s four months prison sentence.
There will be wailing across the land, churches will fill with skybayers praying he wins his appeal, a petition will be organised led by Jacinda and inside a week garner a million signatures, demanding his release, and so it goes.
Then again, perhaps there’s a slight chance I’m reading the public mood wrong and the reaction will be one of great glee. If so, don’t count your chickens.
Watson has a magnificent track record of evading culpability when his commercial endeavors go belly-up as they all seem to do, leaving much distress in their wake.
He’s the Houdini of liability evasion and doubtless will appeal, arguing that a prison sentence will stymie his heart-felt intentions to earn through ventures in America etc so as to pay his creditors.
If I was acting for him I’d argue he’s suffering from colonialism, stemming from the bloody French invasion in 1066 which suffering led to his ancestors fleeing to New Zealand and from which he’s not yet recovered. It works in New Zealand with Maoris so might be a goer.
9 Comments
Yes Sir Robert there is indeed an ailment along the lines of post traumatic stress syndrome (ptsd)
Instead this illness affects mainly intellectual people working in universities and other public service type careers along with wokeism.
This illness is (pcss), Post Colonial Stress Syndrome
If there is ultimately found to be liability for the underlying fraud claimed, he might at least add to the body of research illustrating the stark divergence in NZ and elsewhere in prosecutions and sentencing for complex, orchestrated white collar crimes involving millions and beneficiary fraud involving a few thousand. Both are wrong, yet the latter mostly attracts more investigative focus and prosecution vigour, and more punitive sentencing. Jailed for contempt part way through, if found guilty maybe he’ll become an exception to the rule?
Have you got any facts to back up your claim that benefit fraud is more heavily pursued and prosecuted, it’s more widespread than commercial fraud but usually involves smaller amounts so the serious fraud office isn’t involved. Some recent prison sentences I’m aware of (the wellington ponzi finance guy Ross got almost eleven years for example) were quite heavy.
Here’s a case that resulted in a modest prison sentence (with one partner getting home D) after years of fraud and hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of falsely claimed benefits. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/91956845/husband-and-wife-sentenced-for-one-of-nzs-highest-ranking-benefit-frauds
Thanks David, in New Zealand much of the good research has been done by Prof Lisa Marriot at Vic, with a social justice/inequality focus mostly as I recall between tax evasion and benefit fraud, try here as a starter: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/sacl/about/staff/lisa-marriott
Bob, enjoy writing whilst this you can- the last para will be banned under the little Ardern hate speech legislation
Jail the fraudster. For too long he has carried a cavalier and entitled attitude across, through, around, and amongst the business world. He has done more shafting than a professional coal miner. Throw away the key.
If you could please remove my last comment please as I should not quote what other people say. Poor form on my part. I will be interested to see if your sons new book outsells yours or vice versa….. interesting family tradition being authors…
Quite frankly it’s about time
Owen Glenn is quoted that he will bury Watson before he goes underground himself and maybe he’s right
Sir Bob,
All of us Honkies should pool together for a class action. I’m in.