Auckland man gets home detention after earning $40,000 issuing fraudulent WoFs
An Auckland man has been given home detention for fraudulently issuing warrants of fitness that earned him more than $40,000 in undue revenue.
Imroz Taki, the owner of Newmarket Automotive Repairs, was convicted of issuing 677 warrants of fitness (WoFs) between December 9, 2022 and June 6, 2023, despite not
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NZ Autocar
3 days ago
- NZ Autocar
Bogus WoFs earn Auckland man home detention
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is welcoming the recent conviction and sentencing of an unapproved vehicle inspector. The man fraudulently issued hundreds of warrants of fitness (WoFs). NZTA says the sentence should serve as a deterrent to others. On 26 May, the owner of Newmarket Automotive Repairs, Mr Taki, was sentenced to 10 months and 2 weeks' of home detention in the Auckland District Court. He earlier pleaded guilty to charges relating to fraudulently issuing WoFs. NZTA investigators found that from 9 December 2022 to 6 June 2023, Mr Taki had issued 677 WoFs despite not being appointed as an authorised vehicle inspector. He had not completed any of the inspections. NZTA immediately revoked Newmarket Automotive's inspecting organisation authority. All WoFs issued by the offender during that time were cancelled. Affected vehicle owners were asked to get their vehicles rechecked. A significant percentage of those cars had faults when rechecked at authorised inspecting organisations. A spokesperson for NZTA said: 'Warrant of fitness checks ensure that cars have undergone a general safety check to help keep drivers, passengers and road users safe. 'It's very disappointing when fraud happens in the vehicle inspecting system, as the customer pays the price. They must pay for another WoF and are potentially put at risk in the interim period, if vehicle faults exist and have gone unchecked. 'Through his actions, Mr Taki has risked the safety of the vehicle owners, plus their passengers and other road users. 'People should be reassured that NZTA has the access to data and intelligence to investigate when we have concerns about fraud. 'We take swift action and hold vehicle inspectors to account when vehicle safety is compromised,' said Senior Manager Safer Vehicles, Nicole Botherway. District Court Judge JM Jelas considered mitigating factors, such as Mr Taki's guilty plea and prior good character, before arriving at sentencing. As the inspecting organisation representative for Newmarket Auto Repairs, Mr Taki was obliged to ensure that only NZTA-appointed vehicle inspectors undertook inspection activities and approved the issue of a WoF certification. Customers were charged $60 for each WOF, earning him more than $40,000 in undue revenue. The NZTA Safer Vehicles team regularly reviews inspecting organisations and vehicle inspectors to check compliance. If serious non-compliance is found, the team ensures that the right regulatory response is applied, including enforcement action.
1News
4 days ago
- 1News
Auckland man issued almost 700 fraudulent WoFs
An Auckland man has been sentenced to home detention after issuing almost 700 fraudulent warrants of fitness without proper authorisation. Imroz Taki, owner of Newmarket Automotive Repairs, was sentenced to 10 months and 2 weeks' home detention by the Auckland District Court on May 26. He was found guilty of issuing 677 WoFs between December 2022 and June 2023, despite not being appointed as an authorised vehicle inspector. Taki had used the vehicle inspector appointment belonging to a former employee and had not completed any of the inspections, an NZTA investigation found. Customers were charged $60 per WoF, with Taki pocketing more than $40,000 in improper income. ADVERTISEMENT NZTA immediately cancelled Newmarket Automotive's inspecting organisation authority and wiped all WoFs issued by Taki during that time. Affected vehicle owners were contacted and a significant percentage were found to have faults when rechecked at other inspecting organisations. NZTA senior manager of safer vehicles Nicole Botherway said Taki risked the safety of vehicle owners, their passengers, and other road users through his actions. "People should be reassured that NZTA has the access to data and intelligence to investigate when we have concerns about fraud," she said. "We take swift action and hold vehicle inspectors to account when vehicle safety is compromised." Judge JM Jelas started sentencing from a base of two years and six months' imprisonment but reduced the sentence due to Taki's guilty plea and previously clean record. As the inspecting organisation representative, Taki was responsible for ensuring only NZTA-authorised inspectors carried out vehicle inspections.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- RNZ News
Unauthorised vehicle inspector sentenced after issuing 677 fraudulent WOFs
File photo. Photo: Christine Rush / RNZ The New Zealand Transport Agency says a man sentenced to 10 months and two weeks home detention for fraudulently issuing warrants of fitness put vehicle owners, their passengers and other road users as risk. The owner of Newmarket Automotive Repairs, Imroz Taki, was sentenced in the Auckland District Court in May, after NZTA investigators found he had issued 677 warrants of fitness despite not being an authorised vehicle inspector, between December 2022 and June 2023. Taki had used the vehicle inspector appointment of a previous employee, and had not completed any of the inspections. Customers were charged $60 per WOF, earning Taki more than $40,000 in undue revenue, NZTA said. NZTA revoked the business's inspecting organisation authority, as well as all WOFs issued by Taki over the time of his offending. Those affected were contacted by NZTA and asked to have their vehicles rechecked, with a number of customers finding faults in their cars upon reinspection. Senior Manager Safer Vehicles Nicole Botherway said Taki risked the safety of not only vehicle owners, but others who shared the road also. "It's very disappointing when fraud happens in the vehicle inspecting system, as the customer pays the price - having to pay for another WOF and potentially being at put at risk in the interim period, if vehicle faults exist and have gone unchecked," she said. "People should be reassured that NZTA has the access to data and intelligence to investigate when we have concerns about fraud. We take swift action and hold vehicle inspectors to account when vehicle safety is compromised." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
