Serious Fraud Office charges four people over National Party donations

The Serious Fraud Office filed criminal charges today against four people in relation to donations paid into a National Party electorate bank account.

But a spokesperson for National Leader Simon Bridges says no one in the National Party has been charged.

The SFO's statement, which was released this afternoon, said defendants are scheduled to appear in the Auckland District Court on February 25.

National leader Simon Bridges, who has not been charged, has denied any wrongdoing over how the party has handled donations. Photo / Paul Taylor

However, it remains unclear as to who the four people the SFO has laid charges against are.

The SFO will not make any further comment until any name suppression issues have been dealt with.

MP Jami-Lee Ross, who was kicked out of the National Party last year, lodged a complaint with police in October 2018.

Bridges has always denied any wrongdoing. He said today the SFO's statement vindicated him.

Ross has been repeatedly approached for comment, but has not yet returned calls.

In March last year, police referred Ross' complaint about National's election donations to the Serious Fraud Office.

But, in a statement from the National Party released shortly after that of the SFO's, the party said neither Bridges, or anyone in the party had been charged.

"I have always maintained. As I have always said the allegations against both myself and the Party were baseless and false," Bridges said.

"This was always just a vendetta by a disgruntled former MP."

National's General Manager Greg Hamilton said: "I have always been confident in the way the Party receives and declares donations."

"We are happy to put this matter behind us and will not be making any other comment."

In October 2018, Ross made a string of allegations again National and Bridges.

He claimed Bridges had asked him to collect a $100,000 donation from businessman Yikun Zhang which was then split into smaller amounts to hide it.

This is a breach of electoral law.

In March statement, the police said: "Police have referred to the Serious Fraud Office a complaint received in October last year in relation to the disclosure of political donations under the Electoral Act."

"The complaint has been referred to the SFO as they hold the appropriate mandate to look further into matters raised by the investigation to date."