Maori TV fallout follows Davy around the world

4.00pm

Former Maori Television Service chief executive John Davy says the fallout from his criminal activities in New Zealand has followed him around the world.

Davy, a Canadian who served three months in prison for defrauding the Maori Television Service when he lied in his application for the high-profile job, said today he has not worked since another New Zealander who knew of his background, caused his downfall in a highly paid job in Afghanistan.

He told National Radio today he had not worked since his employers in Afghanistan presented him with a front page from the New Zealand Herald covering the MTS scandal, and had fired him.

That came after the New Zealander asked him for help with a "serious situation".

Mr Davy said he made good money in Afghanistan and had been living on the money he had saved in that job which he found after his release from prison in Auckland.

Mr Davy said during the recruitment process no one asked him about the business degree from Denver University which he fraudulently claimed he had in his application.

Once he got the job he had no doubts about his capabilities to do it, but he was faced with a dilemma about whether or not to "come clean and mention it or let it ride. Unfortunately my decision was to let it ride."

He said it was a misconception that he got to the interview because of the impression he had academic qualifications.

"I was actually waiting for somebody to say 'well, we have checked all this out and something doesn't work.'

"But nobody did anything."

He said if someone had questioned his credentials he would have mentioned the 'true facts.'

Mr Davy said he doubted Maori Television would get to air this year.

- NZPA