SFO raid on M¯aori King’s office

The Ma¯ ori King’s office has been raided by the Serious Fraud Office.

A Serious Fraud Office (SFO) spokesman said it executed search warrants yesterday in relation to an investigation concerning the Ururangi Trust.

Ururangi Trust chairman and Hamilton chartered accountant Peter Rogers said the former charity was the administration arm of Ma¯ ori King Te Arikinui Tu¯ heitia’s office.

The trust was deregistered from the Charities Register last month. Rogers said he had just got out of hospital and was unaware of the SFO search.

The trust was funded by Waikato iwi Tainui, Rogers said.

Internal Affairs spokesman Steve Corbett said in 2017 it began an investigation under the Charities Act which resulted in the Ururangi Trust being referred to the SFO.

The trust had since voluntarily deregistered from the Charities Register, effective from June 1, he said. At the time of deregistration Ururangi Trust, which is based in Ngaruawahia, had assets worth $830,000 and $805,000 of debt. In 2016 it had two trustees, who were directors of the trust company Ururangi Ltd.

The trust employed nine full time staff and two part time staff and had eight volunteers. In 2016 it had revenue of $1.92 million of which $1.89m was donations, fundraising and other similar revenue. It made a loss of $64,077.

The trust registered as a charity in 2008 and operates in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Manawatu, Wanganui, Wellington and Wairarapa.