Klarissa Teohaere: Cook Islands OzTag treasurer jailed for fraud

A Brisbane woman has faced “ostracism and threats” from the local Cook Islands community after she used debit cards belonging to her sports club to rack up $78,000 in purchases.

The Brisbane treasurer of a sports club used her position to plunder its accounts to the tune of $78,000, spending it on clothes, rent and gambling.

Forest Lake woman Klarissa Naria Teohaere, 34, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Thursday to a charge of fraud of a value greater than $30,000 by way of dishonest application of property.

The court heard the offending was committed against a body incorporated for the 2018 Tag World Cup in Coffs Harbour, which allowed Australian players of Cook Islands heritage to compete.

The offending occurred during an eight-month period from January 3 to September 7, 2018, when Teohaere was acting as treasurer for the body.

She used debit cards belonging to the organisation to rack up $78,000 in purchases, which consisted of food, clothes, rent and gambling.

New Zealand-born Teohaere, who had no criminal history prior to the offence, made full admissions to police when the offending came to light, the court heard.

After her offending, Teohaere and her family – she is a married mother-of-five – faced “ostracism and threats” from the Cook Islands community in Brisbane.

Forest Lake fraudster Klarissa Naria Teohaere, 34. Picture: Facebook

It was submitted on Teohaere’s behalf that at the time of the offending she was not seeking treatment for mental health conditions and faced financial pressures in her life due to her husband being injured and out of work and her newborn taking ill.

The court heard she had not gambled since her arrest and was now medicated.

Judge Katherine McGinness noted the offending featured a “lack of sophistication” in that there was no “manipulation of accounts” or other such behaviour.

It was, nevertheless, a “gross breach of trust”, Ms McGinness said.

She sentenced Teohaere to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment, suspended after serving four months, for a period of two-and-a-half years.

Teohaere faces mandatory deportation upon her release, due to being sentenced to a term of imprisonment of greater than 12 months with a component of actual incarceration.