Seven criminal charges involving hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer funds have been laid in court by the Ministry of Social Development, over alleged abuse of the wage subsidy scheme.

Charges relating to the seven cases have now been filed in the Auckland, Waitākere, Christchurch and Hāwera district courts and range from receiving, dishonestly taking or using a document and forgery.

One person pleaded guilty in February and repaid over $18,000. They are due to be sentenced later this year.

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