"Some of our people fear you. I don't and I never have."
King Tūheitia's adviser Sir Wira Gardiner said in a statement today: "As is well known, the SFO continues to investigate aspects associated with the King' office. Until such time as they report, we will certainly not be commenting on any such matters or allegations."
Maori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta today said much of the letter contained issues related to the SFO investigation and she couldn't comment on those.
"The tribe is looking seriously at many of the things that were said, but many more are a matter for the Serious Fraud Office," she told reporters.
The Herald has been reporting on the issues for more than a year.
The SFO raided the office of the Māori King in July.
An earlier investigation into Ururangi Trust, responsible for funding the King's office, by the Charities Service branch of DIA had been ongoing since September 2017 but was brought to an abrupt end in June when Ururangi voluntarily deregistered itself.
Previous Herald reporting has raised concerns over whether Whakaruru used Ururangi's charitable funds to cover his $46,000 gastric band surgery at a private hospital in 2016, and also his company's use of low-interest related-party loans to cover $82,000 in non-charitable travel expenses.
Whakaruru has denied any misspending or wrongdoing at Ururangi.
At the time, Morgan welcomed the SFO investigation, and said he hoped it quickly got to the bottom of allegations.
In 2015 Ururangi was the subject of an adverse Charities Service investigation that warned further problems could see its charitable status revoked.
That report, obtained by the Herald last year, detailed the King's $350,000 annual salary and raised concerns about 114 transactions between 2012 and 2014 totalling $120,691, relating to the purchase of jewellery, clothing and beauty treatments and almost $90,000 in cash withdrawals.
