Former Whangārei real estate agent Danny de Graaf leaves $145k debt after move to Australia

Inland Revenue is the only named creditor.

Assets of the companies have been put at zero, although Whimp told the Herald today a full investigation of whether any assets may be available is yet to be carried out.

Records showed de Graaf formed most of the businesses in 2018.

The companies have not traded since around 2024, the reports said.

His four companies are:

Uber Real Estate, estimated to owe $96,000 of which $54,000 is owed to secured creditors and a further $42,000 to unsecured creditors;Ubered Real Estate, estimated to owe $18,500 to Inland Revenue;Uber Agent, estimated to owe $16,000;Uber Rentals, estimated to owe $15,000.

Those figures were taken from the Companies Office where initial reports were posted.

“The company provided real estate services in the Whangārei region. The company ceased to trade in 2024, and the director moved to Australia,” the liquidators said.

“Bank accounts were closed at this time and there are no bank statements available to the liquidators.

“The liquidators are not aware of any employee entitlements from this time. The director has provided the liquidators with information relating to the company. There are no securities registered on the PPSR. There are no company assets at the liquidation date.”

The real estate agent had an alias, calling himself Danny DeVito after the short Hollywood actor.

Actor Danny DeVito. Photo / AP

On his LinkedIn profile, de Graaf says that at Uber Real Estate, he specialised in “land acquisition, key projects, including government developments, with a portfolio spanning commercial to residential sales and leasing”.

Whimp said records were still being attained and that de Graaf had appointed him.

“We’ve had the claims from IRD but we’re still to cite all the company records and then we’ll form an opinion.”

Asked about how real estate agents accumulate tax debts, Whimp said generally, there could be a pattern.

Although Whimp was not speaking about de Graaf specifically, he explained that agents don’t pay GST on the income they receive.

The income would be from their agency work.

That is how debts to IRD are accumulated, he said.

“We’ll be most interested to see the company records.”

Whimp is awaiting further information from de Graaf, which will include statements and accounts.

He understands the former agent had shifted to Queensland.

Danny de Graaf was a real estate agent in New Zealand. Photo / LinkedIn

On LinkedIn, de Graff says he is a “visionary executive leader with 20+ years of driving growth and innovation across complex sectors”.

Before moving to Australia, he wrote that 17 years after leaving Whangārei, he had brought his family home.

He was back into real estate in that city.

He started his real estate career in Whangārei and then moved to Auckland, where he worked in the industry for a further 11 years.

Attempts were made to contact him in Australia to ask about the tax debts, but no response was received.

The Real Estate Authority shows he is no longer licensed as an agent in this country.

Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 26 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.

Stay ahead with the latest market moves, corporate updates, and economic insights by subscribing to our Business newsletter – your essential weekly round-up of all the business news you need.