Latest news with #ChristiaanBarnard
1News
19-05-2025
- 1News
Over $650k worth of assets restrained after man's arrest in FBI probe
More than $650,000 worth of assets have been restrained by police following the arrest of a Wellington-based man as part of an FBI investigation into a group that allegedly scammed several victims out of NZD$450 million in cryptocurrency. The Wellington High Court has now issued restraining orders for assets valued at $670,000, including cash held in bank accounts, cash held in a lawyer's trust account for the purchases of a property, cryptocurrency, and high-value goods such as a Louis Vuitton bag and Nike shoes. Detective Inspector Christiaan Barnard said police would continue to work with law enforcement in the United States to recover assets alleged to have been stolen by the organised criminal group. Cryptocurrency valued at NZ$450m was stolen from seven victims between March and August 2024, with proceeds laundered through multiple cryptocurrency platforms. The offenders allegedly spent millions of dollars on exotic cars, hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury handbags, watches and clothing, nightclub services, private security guards, and rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons and Miami. Search warrants executed in Auckland, Wellington, and California led to the arrest of several people, with the New Zealand Police's Financial Crime Group arresting a Wellington-based man in Auckland on Friday morning. He was indicted by the US Department of Justice under US Federal law, charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was bailed after appearing in the Auckland District Court on Friday, where he was also granted interim name suppression. He was expected to reappear in the Auckland District Court on July 3.
Scoop
16-05-2025
- Scoop
Wellington-based Man Arrested In International Cryptocurrency Scam Investigation
Press Release – New Zealand Police He is due to reappear in the Auckland District Court on 3 July 2025. We have worked closely with our law enforcement colleagues in the United States in support of their investigation. Detective Inspector Christiaan Barnard: A Wellington-based man was arrested by the Financial Crime Group in Auckland this morning as part of an FBI investigation into an organised criminal group who stole cryptocurrency from seven victims valued at US$265M (NZD$450M). Between March and August 2024, the cryptocurrency is alleged to have been fraudulently obtained by manipulating the victims and subsequently laundered through multiple cryptocurrency platforms. Over the past three days, search warrants have been executed in Auckland, Wellington, and California with several people arrested, including one in New Zealand. A total of 13 people are facing charges. The Wellington man has been indicted by the US Department of Justice under US Federal law with charges of racketeering (RICO), conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. It is alleged the defendants scammed seven victims, spending the stolen virtual currency to purchase, among other things, $9 million of exotic cars, hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury handbags, watches and clothing, nightclub services and private security guards and rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons and Miami. The man was bailed after appearing in the Auckland District Court today where he received interim name suppression. He is due to reappear in the Auckland District Court on 3 July 2025. We have worked closely with our law enforcement colleagues in the United States in support of their investigation. Today's search warrant and arrest reflects the importance of international partnerships where criminals are operating across borders. There is an ongoing investigation, and no further comment will be made by Police.
1News
16-05-2025
- 1News
Wellington man arrested over FBI probe into $450 million crypto scam
A man was arrested in Auckland this morning as part of an FBI investigation into a group alleged to have scammed several victims out of NZ$450 million in cryptocurrency. It was alleged cryptocurrency had been fraudulently obtained by manipulating seven victims between March and August 2024. The proceeds were then laundered through multiple cryptocurrency platforms. The offenders allegedly spent millions of dollars on exotic cars, hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury handbags, watches and clothing, nightclub services, private security guards and rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons and Miami. "Over the past three days, search warrants have been executed in Auckland, Wellington, and California, with several people arrested, including one in New Zealand," Detective Inspector Christiaan Barnard said. Thirteen people, including a Wellington-based man, were charged over the scheme. The man was indicted by the US Department of Justice under US Federal law, charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was bailed after appearing in the Auckland District Court today, where he was also granted interim name suppression. He was due to reappear in the Auckland District Court on July 3. "We have worked closely with our law enforcement colleagues in the United States in support of their investigation," Barnard said. "Today's search warrant and arrest reflects the importance of international partnerships where criminals are operating across borders. "There is an ongoing investigation, and no further comment will be made by police."
Scoop
16-05-2025
- Scoop
Wellington-based Man Arrested In International Cryptocurrency Scam Investigation
Press Release – New Zealand Police Detective Inspector Christiaan Barnard: A Wellington-based man was arrested by the Financial Crime Group in Auckland this morning as part of an FBI investigation into an organised criminal group who stole cryptocurrency from seven victims valued at US$265M (NZD$450M). Between March and August 2024, the cryptocurrency is alleged to have been fraudulently obtained by manipulating the victims and subsequently laundered through multiple cryptocurrency platforms. Over the past three days, search warrants have been executed in Auckland, Wellington, and California with several people arrested, including one in New Zealand. A total of 13 people are facing charges. The Wellington man has been indicted by the US Department of Justice under US Federal law with charges of racketeering (RICO), conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. It is alleged the defendants scammed seven victims, spending the stolen virtual currency to purchase, among other things, $9 million of exotic cars, hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury handbags, watches and clothing, nightclub services and private security guards and rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons and Miami. The man was bailed after appearing in the Auckland District Court today where he received interim name suppression. He is due to reappear in the Auckland District Court on 3 July 2025. We have worked closely with our law enforcement colleagues in the United States in support of their investigation. Today's search warrant and arrest reflects the importance of international partnerships where criminals are operating across borders. There is an ongoing investigation, and no further comment will be made by Police.
Otago Daily Times
16-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
NZ man arrested over $450m crypto scam
The group is alleged to have stolen about $450m worth of cryptocurrency. A Wellington man has been arrested as part of an FBI investigation into an organised criminal group which is alleged to have stolen cryptocurrency valued at $450 million. Detective Inspector Christiaan Barnard said 13 people faced charges, after search warrants were executed in Auckland, Wellington, and California. The man was arrested by the Financial Crime Group in Auckland, one of several people taken into custody following the search warrants, but the only one from New Zealand. It is alleged that between March and August 2024, the cryptocurrency was obtained by fraud, namely, by manipulating seven victims, and subsequently laundered through multiple cryptocurrency platforms. The New Zealander had been indicted by the US Department of Justice under US Federal law with charges of racketeering (RICO), conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. It is alleged that the defendants scammed seven victims, spending the stolen virtual currency to purchase, among other things, $9 million of exotic cars, hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury handbags, watches and clothing, nightclub services and private security guards and rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons and Miami. The New Zealander was bailed after appearing in the Auckland District Court on Friday where he received interim name suppression, and is due to reappear in the Auckland District Court on 3 July. "We have worked closely with our law enforcement colleagues in the United States in support of their investigation," Barnard said. "Today's search warrant and arrest reflects the importance of international partnerships where criminals are operating across borders." He said police would be making no further comment, as this was an ongoing investigation.
