Fake papers found on Delamere's laptop, court told

Tuariki Delamere

Former immigration minister Tuariki Delamere created and backdated documents to support $7 million of investments which never existed, the Auckland District Court has heard.

The former NZ First MP's depositions hearing continued yesterday with evidence from a forensic accountant with the Serious Fraud Office.

The SFO alleges Delamere falsely told the Immigration Service that seven clients had each invested $1 million of their own money with a New Zealand company - qualifying them for residency under the business migration category.

Instead, the SFO alleges his Chinese business partner contributed the $1 million to New Zealand Golden Harvest, a company the pair had jointly set up, and the money was used seven times for seven different applications in a "money-go-round" involving the bank account of a Hong Kong company, Harvest International.

Forensic accountant Anna Tierney told the court that in one instance, the money sat in Golden Harvest's bank account for just 15 days before being transferred to another New Zealand account, and then later back to Hong Kong.

She said if each of Delamere's clients had invested the same amount required for residency, she would expect to see liability worth $7 million in the company's books.

Mrs Tierney said the SFO had found documents on Delamere's laptop confirming investments of $7 million. Some had been backdated several weeks. A number were under Harvest International letterhead, purportedly signed by one of the proprietors.

She said that during an interview Delamere had said he had prepared them and "most probably" signed them.

The court also heard how Delamere provided documents to the Immigration Service stating that $1 million had been invested in Golden Harvest. Mrs Tierney testified that the company accounts had about $88,000 at the time.

The hearing, which is expected to end today, will decide if Delamere has a case to answer.