Former Olympian and politician Dick Quax was worried he would be unable to continue his cancer treatment when he noticed money disappearing from his bank account last year.
After a battle with cancer, the former 5000m world record holder died on Tuesday, aged 70.
The NZ Herald reports that court documents revealed Quax's concern that he wouldn't be able to afford his $6000-a-week cancer treatment after he fell victim to a "chequebook fraudster," who attempted to steal close to $20,000.
James Alexander Spencer Bayley started withdrawing money from the sporting hero's account on July 20 last year, by way of a fraudulent checque at a Westpac smart ATM.
His first withdrawal totalled $1490. Minutes after the first transaction, Bayley cashed a cheque for a further $2650.
A day later, Quax noticed the suspicious activity.
Westpac confirmed it had sent a new chequebook to Quax's home during that month but it went missing and Quax never received it.
On July 22 2017, Bayley cashed a $985 cheque, but when he attempted to withdraw $765, that same day, the bank cheque was not honored.
A couple of days later, Bayley walked into Newmarket's Westpac branch, presented a New Zealand driver's licence as identification, and cashed a $1220 cheque in Quax's name.
Later that day, he successfully withdrew $3500 from Quax's account and deposited it into his own.
On July 25, Bayley attempted to cash a $8500 cheque, but Westpac did not honour the transaction.
When finally stopped, Bayley had withdrawn a total $9845 from Quax's account.
Quax was relieved when the money was reimbursed by the bank.
He wrote in a victim impact statement that the fraud was "really stressful".
"It could not have come at a worse time because he was going through cancer treatment," Judge Johns said at Bayley's sentencing.
Bayley, 34, was convicted and sentenced for the fraud, a separate burglary, and drugs charges to six months' home detention on March 29.
Quax's funeral will be held today in Auckland at Holy Trinity Church in Parnell.
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