NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Business

Victims of serial fraudster Ray Andrews tell of losing their life savings in luxury car ruse

Sam Hurley
By Sam Hurley
NZ Herald Print Editor·NZ Herald·
2 Jul, 2019 09:02 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Raymond Andrews, pictured during his sentencing today in the Auckland District Court. Photo / Peter Meecham

Raymond Andrews, pictured during his sentencing today in the Auckland District Court. Photo / Peter Meecham

Two victims of a car-dealing con artist say they made "the biggest mistake of our lives" after losing their life savings in a luxury vehicle scam.

Raymond Anthony Andrews, 69, was sentenced today by Judge David Sharp in the Auckland District Court to six and a half years' imprisonment.

His occupation is listed on court documents as a salesman - it should have read fraudster.

Andrews was found guilty by a jury in March of conning his victims into handing over some $700,000 for the promise of high-end luxury cars between 2015 and 2017.

He was charged with forgery, using forged documents, obtaining by deception, managing a company whilst prohibited, managing a business without the consent of the Official Assignee (OA), concealing property, and wilfully misleading the OA.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The case was a joint-prosecution by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's integrity and enforcement team and police.

It was the latest offending in a string of frauds for the undischarged bankrupt, which the Crown said was one of the most egregious bankruptcy cases to come before the courts.

Andrews' victims included his own daughter, in whose name he had opened a bank account and used it secretly without disclosing it to the OA.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Judge Sharp said Andrews showed no remorse and presented a clear danger to the public.

Andrews was previously jailed in 2013 for 15 months for controlling a business while bankrupt, obtaining credit by deception and concealing two bank accounts.

Judge Thomas Ingram said at the time that Andrews "deceived and preyed on vulnerable people" and was a "serial liar".

"I have met some liars in my 35 years working in the courts but the lies you have told have been significantly outstanding, and you even had the jury in fits of laughter because your explanations were so improbable," the judge said.

Discover more

Business

Ghost cars: Trade Me fraudster jailed for $100k scam

29 Jun 05:00 PM
Banking and finance

Sophisticated telco scam targets cop, Govt worker

01 Jul 05:00 PM
New Zealand|crime

'14 tonnes of adulterated honey': Company and manager fined $370k

27 Jun 10:50 PM
Tax

Wanted businessman denied bail ahead of Australian extradition fight

01 Jul 11:55 PM

Two victims of Andrews' latest fraud are Vishal Rishi and his wife Poonam, who live in Mt Roskill with their two young children.

Rishi had moved to New Zealand from India in 2002 before marrying his wife, who joined him in 2008.

They then moved in to a car importing and trading business, Jameson Carter Australasia Ltd, and are now 50 per cent shareholders and co-directors.

But then they met Andrews.

"Ray Andrews has changed our lives forever," Rishi said in his victim impact statement to the court.

"Prior to dealing with Mr Ray Andrews, we had great plans for our family. By the end of 2017 we would move closer to our daughter's school and by the following year our son would be ready to go to the same school.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"So, when we met Ray Andrews in October 2015 he showed us great dreams and showcased his successful business set-up in Auckland. We had our plans to expand our business the same year."

Raymond Andrews was jailed today for more than six years for his latest ruse. Photo / Peter Meecham
Raymond Andrews was jailed today for more than six years for his latest ruse. Photo / Peter Meecham

He believed in Andrews' business model and agreed to buy cars from him, only realising later he had made "the biggest mistake of our lives".

"At that point we were not aware that we will lose all our life savings in this deal - our 13 years' hard-earned savings in New Zealand," he said.

Rishi said the financial and emotional loss of the fraud was unbearable.

"We have spent uncountable sleepless nights and our little kids have witnessed us crying many times ... As people say, time is the biggest healer, but in our case this is not true. Our financial condition is sinking from bad to worse.

"We were so distressed at times that I was ready to go to any extent to get our money back and could have gone and become a criminal myself. But the support and advice from my family stopped me."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Rishi and his family also considered returning to India and remain unsure about what to do, while his business and self-confidence to make deals also suffered.

"I couldn't trust anyone else ... This loss of self-confidence acted as a huge barrier in my professional life."

The total financial transactional loss to Rishi and his business was $345,000, he said, but the interest they are incurring on bank loans is sending them further into debt.

"He has been a repeated offender, a serial liar and a renowned fraudster," Rishi said.

"We would not like to see more innocent families become victims again."

OA and Registrar of Companies Ross van der Schyff said in a statement after sentencing that Andrews has "persistently breached his obligations under the Insolvency Act and Companies Act over a long period".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"These latest convictions represent a considerable escalation in his offending and he has caused real harm in the community, including to vulnerable consumers."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Business

Premium
Banking and finance
|Updated

'Misguided stunt': ANZ declines $300m legal settlement offer

Premium
AnalysisKate MacNamara

Reserve Bank's employee benefits: Gold standard or pretty standard?

New Zealand

Beekeeper advocacy group comes under pressure


Sponsored

Tired of missing out on getting to global summits to help grow your business?

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Business

Premium
Premium
'Misguided stunt': ANZ declines $300m legal settlement offer
Banking and finance
|Updated

'Misguided stunt': ANZ declines $300m legal settlement offer

ASB yet to respond to class action settlement offer.

16 Jul 04:41 AM
Premium
Premium
Reserve Bank's employee benefits: Gold standard or pretty standard?
Kate MacNamara
AnalysisKate MacNamara

Reserve Bank's employee benefits: Gold standard or pretty standard?

16 Jul 03:00 AM
Beekeeper advocacy group comes under pressure
New Zealand

Beekeeper advocacy group comes under pressure

16 Jul 03:00 AM


Tired of missing out on getting to global summits to help grow your business?
Sponsored

Tired of missing out on getting to global summits to help grow your business?

14 Jul 04:48 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP