The taxpayer's bill for the South Canterbury Finance prosecution could be nearing $1.5 million and might balloon if acquitted defendants push for costs.

Bungled handling of a secret government report has revealed alarming levels of fraud at the Accident Compensation Corporation scheme and in the health sector.

A now-bankrupt insurance broker who shared a kickback with a senior Bunnings manager in order to keep the store's business has been jailed for four years.

The Serious Fraud Office is defending its decision to bring charges against three former South Canterbury Finance heads after two of the trio were acquitted yesterday.

A former director of South Canterbury Finance found guilty of making false statements couldn't hide his anger at the verdict as he left a Timaru courtroom today.

It was labelled the biggest fraud case in NZ’s history but has ended up the biggest courtroom loss for the Serious Fraud Office in a finance company trial so far.

The fate of three businessmen accused of masterminding the "biggest fraud in New Zealand's history" will be determined tomorrow morning.

A Dunedin lawyer has today admitted being behind a Ponzi scheme where he stole $2.8 million from clients over 21 years.

Exclusive: The Warriors are caught up in an investigation into a Maori tourism qualification involving alleged overpayments of $6 million of taxpayers' money.

A former Mighty River Power engineer accused of $2 million fraud at the company has pleaded not guilty this morning.

The receivers of failed lender Bridgecorp have eked out another $4m after cutting a deal over a loan on which it held an insurance policy.

An insurance broker who shared a kickback with a senior manager at Bunnings Warehouse in order to keep the hardware chain's business has today been found guilty.

Cameron Slater claimed on more than one occasion that former Cabinet minister Judith Collins was out to have the Serious Fraud Office director sacked.

Former SFO boss Adam Feeley says he hopes the police are considering a criminal investigation into claims Judith Collins was linked to a smear campaign against him.

Former SFO boss Adam Feeley says he would not have briefed ministers on investigations if he had had any suspicion that information was being leaked to others.

Prime Minister John Key said he believed his campaign was still on track, despite the "bomb" that has been thrown since the release of Dirty Politics.

Judith Collins' resignation yesterday was weeks, perhaps months, overdue. Yet the offence for which she has left the ministry is less clearcut.

An insurance broker has denied charges he used client funds to finance his lifestyle - and gave an employee of a customer $159k in secret commissions.

An Auckland stockbroker who admitted fraud has today been sentenced to six years in prison.

Auckland Transport is pursuing tens of thousands of dollars in disputed payments after a long-running investigation.

South Canterbury Finance boss Allan Hubbard "had little interest" in meeting accounting or legal requirements, and colleagues went along with fraud, a court hears.

Bankruptcy action could be brought against Ross Asset Management investors who don't comply with any orders to return payouts.