A Tongan immigration scammer is targeting South Auckland churches selling fake New Zealand residencies for almost $300. Thousands of Tongans living in New Zealand have been caught up in the scam, prompting the community to call for urgent Government action. The scammer, Fetongi Malupo, has also travelled to Tonga to lure in people, claiming to Read more
A civil claim against auditors of the Hibernian Credit Union, which is in liquidation as a result of a massive employee fraud, is set to be launched within weeks. Lawyers for both the credit union’s liquidators, and those acting for the still-solvent Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society, are in the final stages of preparing a claim Read more
Former St Patrick’s College Wellington Executive Officer, David Don has been struck off the NZICA register. The Wellington-based accountant pleaded guilty in Wellington District Court last November to accessing a school computer for cash and to pay, among other things, for room service, sweat shirts and a king-sized water bed. In addition to being struck Read more
The Catholic Church is paying the legal bills for a Christchurch parish priest despite laying the complaint that started a police inquiry into financial irregularities.
Father John Fitzmaurice was stood down from his duties as parish priest at the Sacred Heart Church in Addington, last month after Bishop of Christchurch Barry Jones became concerned about his handling of some of the church’s financial affairs.
Read the article...Over a period of six years while working for a national church society, Hibernian Susan Hagai pocketed more than $1.2 million from its members.
On Thursday, Hagai admitted a charge of obtaining by deception in the Wellington District Court.
Read the article...
A Wellington man appeared in court last Friday charged with defrauding St Patrick’s College of more than $126,000.
The 44-year-old man appeared in the Wellington District Court on eight charges of dishonestly accessing a computer and one charge of money laundering.
Read the article...
Computer hackers from Europe recently targeted St Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines, Iowa and stole more than NZ$800,000, according to CBS News. It was money ear-marked to help out the homeless and abused women. “You kind of have to take a deep breath and you have to trust in the Lord,” Richard Pates said. “Why Read more
Michael Gibson, who managed the Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society until 2001, thinks the society’s auditors are liable if alleged illegal activity had been going on over a long period. Should this be the case the auditors need to cover the losses met by the members, he said. Grant Thornton Auditors’ chief executive Wayne Jackson refused to comment Read more
The Serious Fraud Office is investigating the Hibernian Society. A former employee has allegedly stolen more than $1 million from its members over a number of years. Chairman of the Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society Mike McBride says he was “absolutely devastated” when he discovered that a substantial amount of money was missing from the Society’s accounts “We’re extremely disappointed. I Read more
Feesago Siaosi Fepuleai, in a keynote speech at the Samoa Institute of Accountants, said that only ethical people can be ethical professionals. He gave some examples of frauds that have occurred internationally and locally and said, “I invariably wondered therefore sometimes why these things were happening when the very values and principles on which your Institute is Read more