A banned company director with a chequered business past and who has threatened many New Zealanders with court action, is shortly to face a battle in court over his business activities. [Read more...]
BusinessDay Probe into John Hotchin using Companies Office Records and ‘surveillance’
March 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Convicted financier John Hotchin, former director of Nathans Finance, which collapsed in 2007 owing debenture investors $174.5m, pleaded guilty in the High Court last week to three charges brought by the Securities Commission: making untrue statements in Nathan’s investment documents. He was sentenced to 11 months home detention and BusinessDay (The Dominion Post 9 March) reports that it understood from what was stated in court at sentencing, that it was to be served at a rented property.
Documentation readily accessible on-line to the New Zealand public has often been used by investigative business reporters to probe and raise serious questions concerning suspected and actual white collar criminal activity. They often appear to see their roles to be that of “public watch dogs”, effectively promoting and raising awareness of the need for better community standards in the area of public accountability in business, reparation and sentencing etc. They most certainly do serve the “public good” and thec best of them receive journalism awards. The public needs to recognise the vital role they play in a free and democtatic society like ours in New Zealand. [Read more...]
Computer South Ltd finally Struck Off – Funnel for money laundering and fraud
December 26, 2010 by 1 Comment
Finally, on 24 December 2010, the Registrar of Companies struck off Computer South Ltd (which had its registered office for over 13 years with Checketts McKay Law, Wanaka), from the Companies Office list of registered companies. ‘Directed’ by plumber Peter Bruce Ibbotson since it was incorporated on 20 March 1997, with Iain Grant Fyfe, a partner in Checketts McKay, as one of its three original shareholders and its solicitor; the company continued to ‘trade’ up to as recently as 20 April 2009 when its Annual Return was filed on line by Fiona Browne, agent for Checketts McKay.
A Serious Fraud Investigation commenced in 2006 into the activities of the real “director” of Computer South Ltd, Michael Andrew Swann, found that it had no assets, no employees and filed no tax returns. It was used by convicted fraudster Swann, a banned company director and bankrupt, as his de facto bank account for laundering millions of dollars he gained by fraud from the tax-payer funded Otago District Health Board, while he was employed there as information technology manager from 2000-2006.
An online record dated 22 September 2006, made by Kathleen Elizabeth Bennett, agent for Checketts McKay, proves that 50% of Computer South shares, personally held by Iain Grant Fyfe, were transferred to Ibbotson, just days before the Otago DHB suspended their employee Michael Andrew Swann and launched their investigation into his financial activities in early October 2006. The Serious Fraud Office launched its own inquiry shortly afterwards.
Working closely with solicitor Iain Grant Fyfe, Swann squirrelled away millions of dollars over six years into Central Otago properties purchased by trusts set up by Checketts McKay in the names of people – presumably known to and nominated by Swann.
Convicted fraudster Michael Andrew Swann, who is currently serving a lengthy jail term for fraud, together with his convicted accomplice Kerry Gray Harford, defrauded the Otago District Health Board of $16.9 Million over six years (2000-2006).
Swann, ran Computer South Ltd as his personal de facto bank account for the laundering of millions of dollars of ‘dirty money’ obtained by fraud from the DHB, despite the fact he held no office in the company and held no shares. As a convicted bankrupt Swann was unable to hold shares in or direct any company.
As a banned director it was unlawful for him to play any significant role in the management and/or financial affairs of the company. The Otago DHB suspended suspended Michael Andrew Swann in early October 2006 for ”gross mismanagement of DHB’s IT procurements including delegation of authority and purchasing policies” then fired him.
For further background reading see:
Swann’s Rolls-Royce lifestyle – the evidence. By Stu Oldham. Fri, 10 Dec 2010
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/140143/swanns-rolls-royce-lifestyle-evidence
Police seek information on Swann assets. Sat, 25 Sep 2010.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/128160/police-seek-information-swann-assets
Ministry targets porn mogul [banned director Steve Crow] – Herald on Sunday
September 19, 2010 by Leave a Comment
By David Fisher and Frances Morton. Herald on Sunday Sept. 19, 2010
Steve Crow says he will fight a government inquiry into a possible breach of a management ban following four collapsed businesses.
When Steve Crow embarked on building a homegrown porn empire he vowed he would never lock himself away in a dark room with a fake name. It is this willingness to put his “head above the parapet”, he claims, that has got him into trouble.
On April 16, after the collapse of four of his companies, Crow was banned from managing any business for four years. He was forced to resign his directorships and brought in brother David to run the companies. Crow continued to work in the office as a “consultant”.
Now, the Herald on Sunday has learned the Ministry of Economic Development is looking into whether he has breached the management ban. Anyone convicted for such a breach can face up to five years in jail and fines of up to $200,000.
Crow is fighting back. He’s considering seeking a judicial review and suing the ministry for discrimination. It is the culmination of a lifelong battle with the establishment.
For full story go to: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10674407 [Read more...]
Stephen Peter Crow – Prohibition Dates for Banned Porn Company Director
May 28, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Stephen Peter Crow was listed today, 28 May, 2010, on the New Zealand Companies Office Website as a Banned Director and Manager of Companies, effective from 16 April 2010 and ending on 16 April 2014, due to his offences committed under section 385 of the Companies Act 1993. His residential address is listed as are the companies he has directed which were central to his offending. Two are still in liquidation and two have recently been struck off the register following the completion of liquidation proceedings. The disqualification number assigned to Mr Crow is No. 0010025. In clear breach of the banning order he remains sole director of three other companies HWGA Company Ltd, Vixen Publications Ltd and Sidefx Ltd.
Another Porn CVC Group Ltd director quits – Only John Malcolm Carr left
May 21, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Media insiders are suggesting that the megalomaniacal managerial mantle of “Porn King” of New Zealand may now have migrated from Steve Crow to John Malcolm Carr CPA. Why?
Answer: Shirish Daddaram Vagal of Bucklands Beach Auckland has just resigned as director of porn ‘mother company’ CVC Group Ltd. The resignation was registered on the Companies Office website by Steve Crow on 19 May and made effective from 14 May 2010. Steve Crow who resigned as director on 15 May 2010 was served a banning order on Friday night 14 May, preventing him holding a company directorship for four years in Australia and/or New Zealand, issued by the Ministry of Economic Development. These two resignations leave John Malcolm Carr – in the proverbial sense – ‘holding the [porn] baby’ – as he is now the sole director of porn ‘mother company’ CVC Group Ltd and the sole director of hardcore porn company Eden Digital Ltd. (Mr Shirish Vagal and his wife Gulshan Shirish Vagal still own 180,000 shares in CVC Group Ltd).
Is Porn funding-directorship – a family business worth crowing about?
May 18, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Stephen (Steve) Peter Crow appointed his brother David Bruce Crow of Inglewood and his sister Leanne Marie Osborn of Fitzroy, New Plymouth, as directors of HWGA Company Ltd – effective 15 May 2010. HWGA Co. Ltd currently owns 705,000 shares (40.38%) in CVC Group Ltd – a porn ‘mother company’ from which Steve Crow resigned as director effective 15 May 2010. Leanne Marie Osborn, who with her husband Larry Charles Osborn, owns 3,000 CVC Group Ltd shares, will now be serving the role of co-director of HWGA Co. Ltd along side her brothers Steve and David – an all the family affair in would appear – helping the shrinking porn industry. (Four porn companies owned by CVC Group Ltd and directed by Steve Crow have recently been placed in liquidation owing unsecured creditors and the IRD hundreds of thousands of dollars).
NZ shell companies in bribery inquiry – Co. director investigated by NEU
April 20, 2010 by Leave a Comment
The registrar of the New Zealand Companies Office’s National Enforcement Unit (NEU) is considering a number of charges against a company director after initially finding that an “incorrect residential address” had been provided on “the director consent form” signed by the director. The director is liable for a $5,000 fine if convicted of providing a false statement. [Read more...]
John M Carr CPA – Carr Consulting P.A. and Cromwell NZ property sales
February 16, 2010 by Leave a Comment
John Malcolm Carr CPA is founding co-director of the New-Zealand registered company Carrlandazz Holdings Ltd which is 50% owned by PJ Digital Ltd which he directs and whose owner is Florida-registered corporation Carr Consulting P.A. John M Carr is both Principal and registered agent for Carr Consulting P.A., a professional association authorised by Florida State law only to render financial planning advice to clients in Florida. The beneficial shareholder of Carr Consulting P.A. appears to be John M Carr. Carrlandazz Holdings Ltd (Co. No. 1241246), incorporated on 19 July 2002, has since then purchased property in Cromwell and subsequently sold off 29 sections (listed below) for a considerable profit – of which it took 50%. Its parent company PJ Digital Limited and ultimately its parent Carr Consulting P.A. benefited from the land grab and sales.
See: US-based critic of economy [John M Carr CPA] has lots more to say
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=154653
John M Carr, Cornish Point Development Limited, tax and property
February 12, 2010 by Leave a Comment
John Malcolm Carr who holds both New Zealand and United States citizenship owns Cornish Point Development Limited (Co. No. 841571, Incorp. 24/02/97) which is the listed proprietor of at least seven New Zealand properties. The tax residency status of John M Carr has become a critical issue in the ongoing investigations by various NZ agencies, as it has become clear that he is involved through his companies in major property development – a number of which are owned by a Florida-based corporation of which he is both Principal and registered agent. (One automatically has New Zealand Tax Residency status if one resides in the country for more than 183 days over any 12-month period). His Attorney, Alan Bevin McKay, of Checketts McKay Law Limited, Cromwell, was the agent who acted for him and the company he directs – Shelf Company No. 10 Ltd – in the purchase of a 3 million dollar property – 92 M Greenwood Rd, Pakiri, near Wellsford - on 4 October 2005. Another company Mr Carr directs – Kinetiq Ltd – which is owned by the Florida corporation, owns two Auckland properties, one a luxury accomodation unit on Waiheke Island.
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