Police looking into job scam

By LOUISA CLEAVE

Accounting firm Deloitte has laid a complaint with police after being targeted by an alleged recruitment scam.

Police have confirmed they have two complaints - from Deloitte and from an Asian woman - about a recruitment agency that charged thousands of dollars to place people in non-existent jobs.

The agency targets Asian graduates and is linked to conman Michael Knight.

Knight has faced more than 30 prosecutions for breaching the Fair Trading Act and has been banned for life from running a company in New South Wales.

In the High Court at Auckland in May, 45-year-old Knight was sentenced to 200 hours' community work after pleading guilty to acting in the management of a business while he was an undischarged bankrupt.

He denies any wrongdoing in his latest venture and says he will co-operate with any police investigation.

Former employees and clients have identified Knight as the person who signed job offers that did not exist - and took thousands of dollars for the recruiting process.

Knight sought Chinese graduates for jobs at "leading New Zealand companies" in advertisements placed in the Mandarin Times and other newspapers.

The ads, which were still running last week, asked applicants to email their CVs to "The Sauce" and said a $5000 placement fee would be charged.

Two applicants who spoke to the Weekend Herald said they were then contacted by email and invited to a meeting at Knight's North Shore address.

Moonie, a business studies graduate who only wants to be known by her first name, said she paid Knight $3500 for a job at Deloitte.

The 20-year-old has provided police and the Weekend Herald with copies of her employment offer and job description on fake Deloitte letterhead.

Moonie said she asked Knight for her money back two weeks ago, after she discovered the job did not exist.

"He said his computer [was] broken down and he can't open his account so he can't give [the money] to me. He didn't answer my calls again."

She complained to police.

Another client, Charlie, said he was told a job placement would cost $2500 and a work visa application would be another $1500.

Moonie and Charlie said they were told to attend a further interview at level 16 of the ASB building in downtown Auckland.

They believed that interview would be with the company hiring staff, but were met by a man with an office on the 16th floor, working for Knight.

"He told me I had passed the interview," said Moonie.

Knight then offered her a job as an accounts assistant at Deloitte, starting on July 5, for $32,000 a year.

Moonie said Knight signed the offer and asked her to sign an "employment agreement and job description".

A Deloitte spokeswoman said the job offer was not genuine.

"This is not a Deloitte agreement. It is not on Deloitte letterhead and we would not make any agreement with those clauses," she said.

In the past fortnight, five people have contacted Deloitte expecting a job or interview that did not exist, said the company.

Human relations national director Laurie Finlayson said one woman told her the recruitment costs were staggered, reaching $21,000 if a contract was delivered. Deloitte said it had not used the recruitment company run by Knight or placed an ad - which misspelled the company name - seeking graduate accountants or auditors who spoke Japanese, Thai or Mandarin.

That advertisement asked candidates to apply to Level 20 of the ASB Centre. Deloitte has no offices in the building.

Charlie said he became suspicious when he went to the ASB building. The interviewer, who identified himself as Eric Hill, did not provide answers when asked what the job was and how much it paid.

The man who interviewed Charlie, Eric Pukepuke, told the Weekend Herald he was hired by Knight but stayed only one week and had not been paid.

"They were coming in asking if I was Microsoft or Deloittes. I had to explain I was an agent who would go out and get jobs for them," Mr Pukepuke said.

Knight told the Weekend Herald he had gone into business with two men, whom he could only name as James and Jason. They gave him the Deloitte job offers to offer to clients.

Knight said he had sent letters to five clients offering refunds.

THE JOB HUNT

* Advertisements placed in the Mandarin Times seeking Asian graduates for jobs at leading New Zealand companies.

* Applicants asked to email a CV to "The Sauce", which former employees and clients say is run by Michael Knight.

* Applicants asked to attend a meeting at Knight's Birkenhead address. House is also a registered address for University Whizkids, formerly owned by Knight's partner.

* Applicants given "employment placement agreement" which says: "Only real New Zealand employers with real legitimate jobs will be offered to the client."

* Agreement says client will pay University Whizkids $3500 at the time the job offer is presented.

* Applicants asked to attend interview on the 16th floor of the ASB Building in central Auckland. Once there, they find a person working for Knight.

* In one case, a job offer was made on Deloitte letterhead and $3500 paid to Knight. Deloitte has no knowledge of the job offer.


* Additional reporting Irene Chapple

* Email Louisa Cleave