A "predatory" Dunedin lawyer who stole $2.8 million from 32 clients over 21 years in one of the longest-running frauds in NZ history has today been jailed for more than eight years.

A probe that has already uncovered nearly $10 million in misappropriated tertiary funding is to be expanded to include a dozen suspect programmes around the country.

Police are eyeing money from the sale of three houses owned by a couple accused of defrauding NZX-listed Mighty River Power.

A man accused of involvement in a $47 million mortgage fraud eight years ago has finally been charged.

Far fewer victims of financial crime are satisfied with the sentences handed to white collar criminals than two years ago, according to a Serious Fraud Office survey.

An Auckland businessman who shared a $1.1m payout after a failed SFO prosecution says the acquitted South Canterbury Finance defendants appear to "have good cause" to make their own application for court costs.

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.

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.

When John Key dumped Judith Collins at the height of the Dirty Politics affair, he refused to disclose who gave him a copy of the email that prompted him to dump her from the Cabinet.

The SFO trial against former New Zealand Wine Company chief executive Peter Scutts has been delayed because of key defence witness having surgery.

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.

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.

The ex-wife of a struck-off Papakura lawyer - who fled NZ during a SFO probe - is unable to bring a claim here to establish her stake in an Irish country estate.

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.