Matt Nippert is a Business Investigations Reporter for New Zealand's Herald, specialising in breaking stories about fraud and corruption.
I’m Matt Nippert - investigations reporter for the New Zealand Herald and I specialise in breaking stories about fraud and corruption. I started in journalism largely by accident, having failed to become a diplomat, but I now can’t imagine having a job where I’m not actively trying to figure out and make public how the world really works. I’ve got a background in feature-writing and business news-writing, but my focus in recent years has been on investigating the intersection of business and politics. I relish tackling stories that others may consider too difficult or risky. Over the past decade I’ve broken stories about horrific abuse in state care facilities, widespread tax avoidance in New Zealand by some of the worlds’ biggest companies, secret citizenship grants to offshore billionaires, and black PR campaigns designed to derail criminal investigations. I’ve won more than a dozen prizes for my stories, including a Fulbright prize to earn a Masters degree at Columbia University in New York and a press fellowship at the University of Cambridge, but I get the most satisfaction from opening the paper in the morning and seeing I’ve made the front page. I believe good journalism can change the world for the better and my reporting - particularly in corporate tax policy and the exposing of white collar fraud - has directly led to law changes and criminal prosecutions.

Brain drink or fancy juice? Start-up strives to prove health claims
Ambitious beverage startup faces criticism and regulatory turbulence.

Broker backtracks after privacy complaints over demands to send personal info to China
Staff were threatened with dismissal if they didn't comply.

Lord of the waterfront: Peter Jackson secures block as union sells HQ
Billionaire unlocks potential development site after E tū sells its headquarters.

Expat Kiwi sues US Treasury over sanctions for being on board of Russian bank
The banker claims he resigned from the board weeks before the sanction was imposed.

Lord of the land: Sir Peter Jackson’s $350m property empire
The Lord of the Rings mogul has doubled the value of his property holdings since 2019.

Pushpay insider trader flags appeal
Individual found guilty in rare prosecution of insider trading flags appeal.

Sacred Hill's $72m shortfall referred to authorities
Receivers lodge formal complaints over winemaker, which collapsed in 2021 owing $100m.

Missing ERA member: Complainant wins dismissal case, loses $80k in the process
Just when it seemed the fightback was worth it, an employment relations judge went AWOL.

D-Day for Tamihere campaign loan; Te Pāti Māori election launch probed
The Charities Service is demanding evidence of the campaign loan repayment by today.

‘Staggering’ cost of public sector CEO departure
Donovan Clarke had been chief executive of Toitū te Waiora for only 14 months.

The shouting and the ‘slush fund’: Inside John Tamihere’s donations stoush
High-stakes political donations dispute still sees regulators in the dark.

The missing ERA member: Law Society, Opposition slam case logjam
Lawyers, Opposition MPs say questions have been asked for months about mystery departure.

The curious case of the disappearing ERA member
Employment Relations Authority member abruptly departs, leaving 19 cases dangling.

Hackers take businessman for $1.6m ride
A computer hack sees scammers intercept emails and cause redirection of a US$1m payment.

Trust to try to claw back $385k in loans to Tamihere campaigns
Regulator says Te Pāti Māori president has agreed to turn off donation taps.

Wage subsidy fraud case sees high-rise apartment frozen
The two-bedroom apartment was bought in May 2020.

How a forex broker turned $12m into just $50,000
Victims of convicted fraudster get near-zero final payout of 0.36 cents in the dollar.

Covid-cash cheats: More cases coming
Government audit of billions in wage subsidy payments sees dozens charged.

Declining Yellow changes hands, again
Phone directory business, worth billions two decades ago, has again been sold.

Taxman starts clawing back Covid millions
An Avondale brewer is one of hundreds facing demands to repay Covid support payments.

Net closes on Eric Watson in insider trading case
Failed attempt to dismiss insider-trading complaint over Watson's lack of profiteering.