SFO filing charges in party donation case

The Serious Fraud Office is filing criminal charges against four people in relation to donations to the National Party.

But party leader Simon Bridges says neither he nor the party has been charged.

The four are scheduled to appear in the Auckland District Court on February 25. ‘‘The Serious Fraud Office filed criminal charges today against four people in relation to donations paid into a National Party electorate bank account,’’ the office said.

The complaint against the National Party and Bridges was referred to the Serious Fraud Office by the police in March last year. Police received the original complaint from former National MP Jami-Lee Ross in October 2018, during his explosive departure from the party.

Ross alleged Bridges asked him to break up a $100,000 donation from a wealthy Chinese donor into smaller chunks to get it under the $15,000 donation threshold in the Electoral Act.

He provided police with a recording of a secretly-recorded conversation between him and Bridges where a $100,000 donation was discussed.

Bridges has repeatedly denied any allegation of wrongdoing.

Yesterday, Bridges said he and his party secretary had not been charged. ‘‘I have always maintained I had nothing to do with the donations. As I have always said, the allegations against both myself and the party were baseless and false. This was always just a vendetta by a disgruntled former MP.’’

Ross has been contacted for comment.