Former Ngāi Tahu chair Sir Mark Solomon claims financial loss as SFO investigates Christchurch pair

Ngākau Aroha Investments Ltd and Power to Me Aotearoa Tapui Ltd co-owner Alex Tuira

Former Ngāi Tahu chair Sir Mark Solomon is among a group of investors claiming to have lost money as the Serious Fraud Office investigates a pair of Christchurch businesspeople.

The SFO said today it had executed search warrants as part of an investigation concerning Thomas Alexander Tuira (known as Alex Turia), Aroha Awhinanui Tuira and their companies Ngākau Aroha Investments and Power to Me Aotearoa Tapui.

The agency is seeking information from the public that may be relevant to the investigation.

Solomon, who was chair of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu for 18 years, told Stuff he and friends and family had invested about $2 million in Power to Me, a website offering educational e-learning courses, about 18 months ago.

Tuira, described as a "business and personal finance strategies," listed a range of self-help programmes as his primary qualifications, including courses by Tony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki and Jordan Belfort, aka the Wolf of Wall Street.

Companies Office records show there are 34 shareholders in Power to Me Aotearoa Tapui, including a 5.31 per cent holding by former Ngai Tahu chief operating officer Julian Wilcox and several parcels held by members of the Solomon family.

The SFO operates under two sets of investigative powers.

Part 1 of the SFO Act provides that it may act where the director "has reason to suspect that an investigation into the affairs of any person may disclose serious or complex fraud".

Part 2 of the SFO Act provides the SFO with more extensive powers where: "... the director has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence involving serious or complex fraud may have been committed ..."

A brief statement issued this morning said no further comment will be made by the SFO while the investigation is underway.