A court has frozen the proceeds of the sale of an $891,000 house linked to the Auckland man at Calcite Ave in a new Flat Bush development.
A court has frozen the proceeds of the sale of an $891,000 house linked to the Auckland man at Calcite Ave in a new Flat Bush development.
Police were called in over a mortgage deal for a property that a BNZ banker was involved with.
A court has frozen the proceeds of the sale of an $891,000 house linked to the Auckland man at Calcite Ave in a new Flat Bush development.
The full details of the case are not yet known but Ryan Weir, who worked for the bank for a decade, told the Weekend Herald he has left his job and the BNZ went to police over a transaction he was involved in while there.
"The bank's concern was that I should have disclosed that I had an involvement with the transaction and I did not. I accept that," he said in a statement.
"The transaction enabled a company I was involved in to secure a mortgage, which it would have secured, if not from the BNZ, then from another bank."
The BNZ has declined to comment but documents show the newly built house police believe Mr Weir had an interest in was frozen in September after they applied to the High Court.
The house was then sold by mortgagee sale for $891,000. The proceeds remain frozen and the case is due in court next month.
Police have applied under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act to keep the funds frozen, a move which Mr Weir says he will oppose.
Under that law, police also have the ability to apply to the court to have property forfeited, but no such bid has been made in this instance.
Ryan Weir says there was nothing criminal about his involvement with the Calcite Ave home.
Mr Weir said the proceedings were "misconceived".
"My conduct was not criminal. I have never been charged, or even interviewed by the New Zealand police."
Mr Weir said that the bank was never financially exposed and that it, in fact, profited from the transaction.
He said he regrets his actions and had worked hard during his 10 years with the bank.
"I had good clients and, until then, I had a good career ahead of me. I have now left my position and forfeited my career. I appreciate now that I breached the bank's rules on this one occasion."
Detective Sergeant Chris Allan of the financial crime group declined to comment specifically on the matter.
"However, police would like to express that the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 lawfully allows financial crime group asset recovery units to investigate and commence civil proceeding irrespective of criminal charges," Mr Allan said.
Mr Weir is one of two men who allegedly had interests in the property, which was held in the name of a company called Way in Future Homes 2015.
Suppression orders mean the Weekend Herald cannot identify the other man.
