The District Court at Auckland has ordered Russiaan Hauraki to pay Angel Rowe $150,000 in damages after a defamation case.
The District Court at Auckland has ordered Russiaan Hauraki to pay Angel Rowe $150,000 in damages after a defamation case.
An Auckland aesthetician has been ordered to pay more than $200,000 to a woman after he was found to have made defamatory social media posts.
Russiaan Hauraki has been ordered by the District Court at Auckland to pay Angel Rowe, founder of Blanko House of Aesthetics, $150,000 in general damages,$20,000 in punitive damages and about $40,000 in costs after Hauraki made TikTok videos claiming Rowe was scamming people.
“Imagine being a business owner, who preaches that she supports women but scams single mothers out of thousands of dollars” was the caption on one post alongside an image of Rowe.
Another post claimed Rowe “manipulates vulnerable, struggling mothers with smooth words and false promises, drawing them into pyramid schemes for her own personal gain”, while others suggested her business had gang affiliations and was involved in money laundering.
“The Judge recognised the serious level of harm caused by Russiaan Hauraki’s posts,” Rowe said, “following hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok and Instagram earlier this year.”
Hauraki is also under a Harmful Digital Communications Act order which requires him to remove all online posts about Rowe and prevents further publishing of content about her on any social media platform.
“This case was about protecting my reputation, my business, and the integrity behind everything I have built,” Rowe said.
“I have worked too hard to let this defamation and harassment go unchecked.
“If the damages and costs are not paid, I will issue bankruptcy proceedings against Russiaan Hauraki.
“Actions have consequences, and accountability matters.”
Hauraki, who owns Mr Aesthetics, told the Herald that it was never his intention to defame anyone and he believes he is not lying.
The District Court at Auckland found in favour of Angel Rowe after she brought a defamation case forward against Russiaan Hauraki. Photo / Supplied
“The situation involving Angel Roberts has been deeply distressing. Unfortunately, she had the financial means to secure strong legal representation,” Hauraki said.
“When I came forward, I did so because I genuinely believed it was the right thing to do not only for the integrity of our community and the beauty industry, but also for the many individuals.”
He said that the entire experience has been “incredibly upsetting” and the verdict “feels like a huge slap in the face”.
Rowe said she hoped the case would give others the strength to stand up for themselves and understand the seriousness of defamation.
“Your name, your truth, and your reputation are worth defending,” she said.
