Fijian man jailed in New Zealand for "lifetime of immigration fraud"

A Fijian man described as a "serial immigration fraudster" has been jailed for 30 months in New Zealand, immigration officials said Monday.

Sentencing Raymond Claudius on three counts on providing false or misleading information on visa applications, a judge at Christchurch District Court said he had "a lifetime of immigration fraud," according to a statement from the government's Immigration New Zealand agency.

It outlined how Claudius had used several names to get in and out of New Zealand.

Born in Fiji and originally known as Bal Krishna, Claudius moved to Australia in his early adult life before he was eventually deported, said the statement.

Back in Fiji, Claudius accumulated several dishonesty convictions before he jumped ship to New Zealand in 1987, where he lived for two years under different names to hide from the authorities.

He was eventually tracked down and deported to Fiji in 1989.

On his return to Fiji, he changed his name by deed poll to Raymond Claudius and travelled to New Zealand in 2007 under his new name.

In 2015, his past caught up with him when Immigration New Zealand officials interviewed him and the extent of his fraudulent past was unraveled.

"This case demonstrates just how seriously the courts take matters of immigration fraud," Immigration New Zealand assistant general manager Peter Devoy said in the statement. Endit