The Wellington High Court has ordered the forfeiture of nearly $620,000 from a Lower Hutt man convicted of illegal gambling and money laundering.
Thomas Mackay Taniwha was charged after conducting high stakes poker games both in person and over online gambling platforms.
The forfeiture, issued by Justice Peter Churchman on July 29, follows a two-year investigation by the Police Asset Recovery Unit known as Operation Ace, police said.
In April, Taniwha was fined $16,500 in the Wellington District Court after an investigation by the Department of Internal Affairs uncovered his involvement in illegal poker games.
A search warrant executed in February 2022 by internal affairs and police uncovered $25,700 in cash and a room set up for poker.
Further analysis of Taniwha's bank accounts uncovered a significant number of deposits linked to illegal gambling, with some funds transferred into a business account associated with a car dealership.
The investigation, conducted under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act, led to a profit forfeiture order for $619,692 that reflected what police calculated were the unlawful gains from Taniwha's criminal activities.
Detective Sergeant Sam Buckley of the Central Asset Recovery Unit in Wellington said the aim of the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act is to confiscate property from those who have benefited from significant criminal activity, reduce the rewards of crime and deter potential offenders.
Buckley emphasised that police would persist in targeting individuals who profited from criminal activities — collaborating with other agencies such as internal affairs — to address and dismantle such operations across New Zealand.
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