Money launderer in hot water for contacting meth ringleader
A police officer’s daughter who got involved in one of Horowhenua’s largest methamphetamine rings, has breached her bail by contacting the ringleader.
Jessica Kalivati, 28, is on bail awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to money laundering.
She and many others were arrested after police executed Operation Abbey, an investigation into the activities of Gary Colin O’connell.
O’connell made $4 million from methamphetamine dealing between January 2014 and September 2019.
The money was used for a range of purposes including renovating the Shannon home O’connell lived in with his long-term partner Emma Jane Armstrong.
He also had a four-year relationship with Kalivati who knew he was a drug dealer and helped him launder $236,782.
She spent dirty money on ski passes, a holiday to Queenstown, travel, vehicles, a coffee cart business venture and a house deposit.
She was in the Palmerston North District Court onmonday, arrested after breaching her bail by contacting O’connell.
He is in prison serving nine years for running the drug ring.
Many of the details of Monday’s hearing cannot be reported for legal reasons but Kalivati was put back on electronically monitored bail.
The condition not to contact O’connell was removed with consent by the Crown. Kalivati will be sentenced in March. Others who pleaded guilty to money laundering have been sentenced to home detention. Some still deny any wrongdoing.