Banker faces charges of stealing $1m

Photo / Greg Bowker

An Auckland banker has been charged with stealing nearly $1 million from his clients.

Graeme Malcolm Cooper has been arrested and charged with 41 criminal offences, including the access of a computer system, use of documents for a pecuniary advantage and money laundering.

The 49-year-old was a personal manager for National Bank, where police allege Cooper shifted money belonging to clients into an account he created under a fictitious name.

The four alleged victims live overseas and have name suppression to protect their identities.

The money was shifted over an eight-year period but the National Bank, now known as ANZ, would not disclose how the alleged offending was detected.

An ANZ spokesman said they had called in police and helped them with their investigation and it was inappropriate to comment further, given the matter is before the courts.

Cooper owns two houses in Auckland which each has a mortgage with ANZ National bank.

Property records show his wife and a trustee company based in Henderson, Davenports West Trustee Company, are also listed as owners.

The second house was bought in 2008 for nearly $330,000 and it's understood the money laundering charge relates to this deal.

The Herald visited his home in New Lynn yesterday but the gate was bolted shut.

Cooper was arrested last month and will appear in the Auckland District Court again on Friday.