A Rotorua woman is facing charges laid of ripping off pensioners to the value of $1 million.

Linnet Lewis, 54, appeared in Rotorua District Court today facing 16 charges of theft by person in a special relationship, five charges of dishonestly taking or using a document, and five charges of forgery.

The charges were laid following an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office, under the Crimes Act.

Lewis first appeared in November 2013 and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

She was initially granted interim-name suppression, which lapsed today.

The SFO alleges that clients have lost approximately $1 million through unauthorised withdrawals of their funds by Lewis between 2005 and 2011.

'When a person is given authority to act on a client's behalf, the client should be able to trust that services will be provided in a professional manner consistent with the client's expectations,” says SFO Director Julie Read.

Fairfax Media reports Lewis is alleged to have misappropriated funds given to her companies Lewis Administration and Algin Trust Services by mainly retired people.

Lewis is scheduled to reappear on 16 April.