Coming 'Clean?'

Millionaire businessman confesses to $3.5 million fraud. "I'll be going to jail," he said.

Mr Fitzsimons and his wife Melanie, 35, who owns the upmarket Napier antique and fashion shop La Bella Rossa, stand to lose everything, including their $1.4 million mansion in Havelock North.

Oh dear... and 'his ripped-off business partners may also lose their homes.'

"He's a thief, a liar and a cheat . . . a totally amoral crook," said Mr Gifford, one partner.

He 'did not spend any of the stolen money on himself or his wife' ... but, 'he lived the high life - trips to Europe, twin BMWs and a mansion in Havelock North.' .... yep , no high life here, most would reduce their own assets to support a viable business, probably only one car, aha ... a jap import, put off the o'seas trips, generally tighten the belt.

Overwhelming contrition/remorse I am sure led to his revelation, not the imminence of discovery and public shame and I'm sure it also had nothing to do with putting his story out there first, disassociating his wife from his deceit, from any wrong doing - but of course all their assets would be jointly owned and anything accrued by her would be of robust indepenedent genesis, so there would be no especial agenda here. I am sure no one would try to gain sympathy from the notion that they will lose all, lose their life-style because in reality it was not theirs to lose in the first instance.

"Mr Gifford also did not accept Fitzsimons' remorse, saying the crime was carefully contrived to get around internal audit systems, was committed over an 18-month period, and it was only when Fitzsimons was caught that he expressed remorse.
"Too late buddy boy," Mr Gifford said."

Yep, a sad situation all round.