Guilty plea in Waipareira fraud

The former chief financial officer of the South Auckland urban iwi Waipareira Trust has pleaded guilty to 15 fraud charges involving nearly $200,000.

Mike Tolich, 55, appeared in Auckland District Court yesterday and was remanded on bail for sentencing in August.

The charges were laid by the Serious Fraud Office in relation to events between 1998 and 2001 - partly overseen by former Cabinet Minister John Tamihere, who was cleared of any wrongdoing.