In 2017 Sarawak Report offered the New Zealand Government and John Shewan, the expert it appointed to uncover money laundering in New Zealand information on the NZ domiciled Vasco Trust and its role in the 1MDB theft- Offer ignored, but can new PM Christopher Luxon ignore the facts like his predecessors?

 by Ganesh Sahathevan

From Sarawak Report in 2017:

The purpose is corruption – Vasco Trust

Now jailed in Abu Dhabi – KAQ stole half a billion from 1MDB

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Since finance expert Mr John Shewan couldn’t find a single example of a corrupt use of a New Zealand trust fund, Sarawak Report would like to humbly offer him the details of how one such trust was deliberately set up by financial professionals in Europe to facilitate both the hiding of stolen money (again from 1MDB) and the avoidance of tax in the United States by the Emirati businessman Khadem Al Qubaisi, who is now in jail.

Perhaps this might help spell out for him and New Zealand legislators the extent of the global problem, which is caused by the deliberately lax laws that have become such a nice little money-spinner for a section of their finance industry?

Khadem, as readers of SR will be aware, had stolen a cool half billion US dollars from 1MDB, in return for helping Jho Low and his boss the Prime Minister squirrel out a further $7 billion from the Malaysian ‘development fund’.

The information seems to have been ignored, but can new PM   Christopher Luxon ignore the facts like his predecessors did, given his law and order platform?

TO BE READ WITH 

Friday, December 8, 2023

New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon campaigned on  a law and order platform, but what about money laundering and 1MDB money in New Zealand?

 by Ganesh Sahathevan

   New Zealand PM Christopher Luxom campaigned on a law and order platform

The recently appointed New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon campaigned on a law and order platform but it is left to be seen if he will do any better than his predecessors including Jacinda Ardern  in helping Malaysians recover 1MDB money either held in or via New Zealand. 

Meanwhile , as SarawakReport noted, the policy towards money launderers seems to be 

Trust Us - New Zealand Can Hide Your Money!

TO BE READ WITH 

Friday, January 27, 2023

Jacinda Ardern failed a simple test of good governance , did nothing to address recovery of money stolen from 1MDB held by or via New Zealand entities

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

There has been much talk about Jacinda Ardern being appointed to an UN or other international role given her exemplary leadership.

The facts however show that Jacinda Ardern failed a simple test of good governance when she did nothing to address the  recovery of money stolen from 1MDB held by  or via  New Zealand entities.

TO BE READ WITH 

Monday, October 1, 2018

Dear Ms Ardern, how do you say "NZ links to money stolen from 1MDB " in Maori?

by Ganesh Sahathevan

This is heart warming:

Kindness, not fear or hate - Jacinda Ardern's message to Donald Trump and the world

PMO

Jacinda Ardern makes her speech directly challenging the view of the world outlined by 

US President Donald Trump.

Ardern began her speech with a greeting in Māori after entering the 
General Assembly carrying an orator's comb, gifted to her by 
Ngati Rehia. It is worn by leaders at prominent events and is an 
acknowledgement of her mana.

 Which is all well and good, but this not so little theft and New Zealand's part in it
remains outstanding:

12

NZ's DPMC would have been aware of Jho Low's visits,other 1MDB connections-but Shewan Inquiry found no evidence of 1MDB theft hidden behind NZ trusts? 

The Security & Intelligence Group of the NZ DPMC  was  

led by Deputy Chief Executive, Security & Intelligence (DCE SIG), 

Howard Broad. He has been appointed head of the DPMC as of the beginning 
of 2017.

He was a former chief of police.

by Ganesh Sahathevan

As previously reported on this blog, New Zealand's Shewan inquiry's own work into NZ foreign trust should have led to the 1MDB theft, the proceeds of which are being hidden in part, by the family of Larry Low Hock Peng using a NZ Foreign Trsut.The beneficiaries include his son Jho Low, who has been the subject of international media attention since at least early 2015,with regards his central role in the 1MDB affair.

Despite all that reporting and ongoing investigations in the US, UK, Switzerland and Hong Kong, the Shewan Inquiry declared that there was no direct evidence of illicit funds being hidden in New Zealand foreign trusts.

The Shewan Inquiry managed to come to that conclusion despite Jho Low's visits to New Zealand on his private jet and yacht.That these visits did not come to the attention of the New Zealand Department Of Premier & Cabinet's National Security & Intelligence Group is hard to believe, given the amount of data concerning these visits in even the public domain.

All this is in addition to a very public report out of Malaysia quoting the ex-deputy chief of Malaysia's Special Branch who told media in August 2015 that one of three individuals wanted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) with regards the 1MDB theft was hiding in New Zealand.

END 

5. Unusual visitor.

Observed at Dunedin airport, this Bombardier BD-700 Global Express, made an interesting addition to an otherwise routine domestic flight. The aircraft registration is N689WM and the date 8 August 2015.

Global 5000 N689WM, operated by Malaysia based Wynton Group/Jet Aviation Flight Services Inc, arrived at Dunedin late morning 03 August direct from Bali. It is understood the passengers then caught a chartered Airwork/Inflite Metroliner for the journey to Queenstown.

Russell Blackstock

Russell Blackstock is a senior reporter at the Weekend Herald and Herald on Sunday.

Superyacht makes a splash

5:00 AM Saturday Feb 6, 2016

The superyacht Equanimity. Photo / Jason Oxenham

One of the world's most spectacular superyachts is lording it at Auckland's waterfront.

The 91.5m Equanimity accommodates up to 26 guests and comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect from a billionaire owner.

The boat has a helicopter landing deck and boasts its own 20m pool, gym, spa, turkish bath, beauty salon, elevator, movie theatre and "beach club". The boat's interior is also said to be decorated in gold.

It is believed to be owned by reclusive Malaysian billionaire Jho Low who has been using it to entertain famous friends at exotic locations around the world.

Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx are said to be fans of the superyacht. Gangnam Style singer Psy, socialite Paris Hilton and actress-model Kate Upton are other well-known faces who have attended lavish parties on board.

The vessel was built in 2013 and is manned by a crew of 26.

In the past few months Equanimity has visited Florida, Holland, South Korea, Greenland, Alaska and Japan.

A crew member from a neighbouring vessel said it was thought the superyacht was in Auckland for maintenance work.

- NZ Herald

Posted 12th January 2017 by Anonymous