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Taxpayers face a bill of almost $7 million for the police investigation and eventual prosecution of Clint Rickards, Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum - with more bills to come.
Legal Services has so far paid $119,029 in legal fees for Schollum's defence in last year's Louise Nicholas trial and this week's trial. Shipton has so far received $152,045 in legal aid.
A source said more bills were due to arrive for the men's defence and were expected to run to "tens of thousands of dollars each".
As of last March, police had spent $3,087,131 on Operation Austin, the investigation into alleged misconduct by Rotorua police in the 1980s. That is the latest cost available and the amount is rising.
Crown Law spent $176,000 unsuccessfully prosecuting Mr Rickards, Schollum and Shipton in the Louise Nicholas case. The bill for the latest trial is expected this month.
A commission of inquiry launched into the matter in 2004 is due to report back to the Governor-General in a few weeks. At least $3.2 million has so far been spent on the inquiry and that is expected to blow out to more than $4 million by the time it is completed.
