Milk and honey exporter found guilty of fraud

Trevor Lock, director of Nubiotics Limited. Photo/Greg Bowker

The man behind a failed infant milk formula and manuka honey exporting business has been found guilty of 18 Crimes Act charges and two Serious Fraud Office Act charges.

Waikato man Trevor Lock, 54, who called himself the "father of colostrum", was found guilty in the Auckland District Court today.

He was arrested in Morrinsville in December 2015 after an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into his activities with companies Nubiotics and Nu-brands.

Through these, Lock entered into a number of contracts to supply dairy and honey products.

The SFO said he used customer deposits to fund personal or other business expenses and then failed to deliver on the contracts.

Lock was the sole director of food and health company Nubiotics, which collapsed in 2014.

In March this year, liquidator Kelman and Co said it had received four claims totalling $451,379.

SFO director Julie Read said the company's prosecution would help preserve the reputation of New Zealand companies as reliable exporters of quality milk and honey products.

"New Zealanders have a reputation for being honest in their business dealings and for this reason, Mr Lock's customers trusted the representations he made to them.

"In reality Mr Lock deceived his customers, using false statements, forged documents and other means to disguise his failure to fulfil his obligations.

"He also supplied false information to the SFO while under investigation."

Lock will be sentenced in October.