Sentence stuns victims

Christopher Koch. Photo / Supplied

Kiwi victims of convicted fraudster Christopher Koch are stunned by a tough 13-year jail sentence he has been handed out in Australia for scamming investors out of about $2.1 million.

A former business partner, Auckland email marketing expert Glenn Edley, said he and others who were owed money were "shocked" by the sentence, which includes a minimum non-parole period of 10 years.

"The guy is 60. That's going to be really tough."

Edley, who is still owed "a substantial amount of money", said Koch needed to be punished but considered the sentence too harsh.

Koch was found guilty of 15 counts of obtaining property by deception, seven counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and a breach of the Corporations Act. He was sentenced in the Victorian County Court. His victims included long-time friends and people he knew were financially vulnerable, the court heard.

Koch arrived in Auckland in 2004 after fleeing financial troubles in Australia. In New Zealand he sold people shares in a racehorse that didn't exist, borrowed money for projects that never eventuated, and racked up debts.