A group claiming to be victims of an alleged Green Acres franchise scam are suing the firm for millions of dollars in compensation.

Innovative businesses have been advised to be careful before getting carried away with registering patents and trademarks.

A feud between ex-mates over a $17m lottery prize has so far cost them their friendship and $2m in legal fees.

Mars, Hershey, Cadbury and Nestle are being accused of conspiring to push up prices of their chocolate bars over most of the last decade.

A relative of NZ's $17.8 million fraudster says being a member of the Versalko family is like living with a "bomb that has exploded".

He is supposed to be one of the country's richest men, but a $19 million lawsuit could send venture capitalist Bill Birnie under.