Father’s death leads to House of Shem brothers spiralling into $200k combined benefit fraud

Belinda FeekOpen Justice multimedia journalist, Waikato·NZ Herald·11 Aug, 2026 07:00 AM5 mins to read‌Te-Omeka (left) and Isaiah (right) Perkins with their father Carl before he died in 2018.Te-Omeka (left) and Isaiah (right) Perkins with their father Carl before he died in 2018.Kiwi musicians Duane and Isaiah Perkins say the death of their father was the catalyst for them committing nearly $200,000 in benefit fraud. The Perkins brothers formed House of Shem in Whanganui in 2005 and have released three albums of roots and reggae-inspired music together. They have also performed alongside