KEY POINTS:
As investigators closed in on two Auckland con men, one of the fraudsters was comparing himself to Jesus.
Alan Victor Jones, of Remuera, convicted and jailed this week for his part in a scheme which stole around $6 million, used an apocryphal biblical event to comfort a victim.
"As a child, I learned Herod and Pilate found no evidence of wrongdoing by Jesus, yet he was still crucified," Jones wrote to his Whangarei victim.
"The SFO [Serious Fraud Office] makes statements that one day we will be able to defend. Despite the fact that the SFO says there's no money, the offer to you previously still stands."
SFO assistant director Gib Beattie was not impressed.
"Jones was comparing himself to Jesus Christ at a time when he had already been charged," he said.
Prosecutor Anita Killeen was also aghast.
"Jones thought he was being crucified by the SFO."
Jones and Roderick Bernard Harrison, of Kohimarama, were jailed for 6 1/2 years, after being tried by jury and convicted of conspiracy to defraud and two charges of using a document with intent to defraud.
The pair worked in the insurance industry, and in the dock, with their smart suits and crisp shirts, they looked like any other Queen St businessmen.
For their con to succeed, the men had to be entirely plausible. They got very close to their victims, dining and even staying with them. They travelled overseas - particularly to Australia - and used investors' money to pay for their lifestyles.
They made their victims feel the money being invested was small compared with the size of the funds they were managing. People were promised spectacular returns.
Harrison met one victim through a church. Another was snared at a conference. A common complaint was that the pair had betrayed trust and some victims have been left almost destitute.
Jones had a previous conviction but Harrison had none.
The men ran a pyramid-style scheme, the Harvest Investment Club, an elaborate con where new investors' money was used to repay existing investors. Fresh investors were crucial to fund the scheme, which spelt financial disaster for 46 New Zealanders and Australians caught by the deception.
A Whangarei investor, Mr A, had complained bitterly to Jones in 2004 about the loss of his money.
"You accepted kumara from my garden, saw my wife seven weeks from death," he emailed Jones. "I can only wonder what lengths you will go to to further your lust for money."
In sentencing the pair in the High Court at Auckland, Justice Patricia Courtney described them as ruthless con men.
She said Mr A had invested $30,000, then a further $30,000 and $40,000.
He sent a note in with one cheque to the men, saying his wife had died only a few weeks ago, yet they still took his money.
The fraudsters also took money from his 90-year-old father.
The judge then cited Ms P, who lost $425,000 and is now forced to hold down part-time jobs, has suffered severe social and physical dislocation and never got an apology. She appeared as a witness, giving evidence of how the men told her to give obstructive answers to the SFO.
An older Australian woman, Ms W, met the men at a conference and invested $300,000, including money from her block of shops.
A hard-working Australian farming couple, Mr and Mrs C, lost 30 years' savings, the judge said. They are now working seven days a week and will have to work for the rest of their lives.
Mr C gave evidence that he met the men through Ms W. He viewed Ms W as a successful investor and trusted her.
HOW TO AVOID FRAUDSTERS
* Read the SFO's brochure High Yielding Investment Scheme Frauds.
* Seek independent advice from an accountant, lawyer, banker or qualified investment adviser.
* Ask questions before giving your money to people - know where it is going.
* Beware of schemes promising extremely high returns - seek a prospectus or investment statement.
* Be wary of secret schemes or being told you are one of a selected few.
