Māori King's advisor pleads guilty to fraud charges, including for gastric bypass surgery

Te Rangihiroa Whakaruru was caught taking money from a former charity which looked after tribal affairs for the King.

The Māori King’s private secretary has pleaded guilty to six fraud charges – some related to his own gastric bypass surgery - with the Auckland District Court hearing today that Te Rangihiroa Whakaruru used the health of King Tuheitia as a cover to obtain by deception.

Whakaruru has worked for Tuheitia in various roles since 2008.

But today Whakaruru stood in the dock and admitted to the charges which included telling the Serious Fraud Office that he had reimbursed the trust that funds the King’s office for his gastric bypass procedure at Mercy Ascot Hospital in May 2016.

He also told Waikato Tainui leader Joanne Parekawhia McLean that $27,650 had been used to pay for medical services and treatments for the king when in fact that money had been used to pay for the defendant.

Te Rangihiroa Whakaruru outside court.

The wider deception included using the King's chequebook and telling tribal leaders that the hospital's chief executive officer and other medical professionals were involved in the King's treatment.

That was not the case.

Te Rangihiroa Whakaruru outside court.

Invoices were faked to obtain tens of thousands of dollars from the Ururangi Trust which is linked to the Kingitanga.

But one of those invoices had nothing to do with healthcare, instead it related to the purchase of a trailer unit complete with awning from Dargaville.

Todd Simmonds representing the Serious Fraud Office said that at all times Whakaruru knew that what he was doing was false or misleading.

A final charge included lying to the SFO during interviews Whakaruru was compelled to attend.

A Kingiranga member stood up in the public gallery during the lengthy proceedings and addressed him directly saying: 'Thank you Rangi for pleading guilty.'

Judge Robert Ronayne remanded him on bail for sentencing on April 24.

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