The then 31-year-old was charged with 33 counts of money laundering and one of receiving stolen funds linked to “serious fraud matters” involving innocent members of the public.
Wek went to ground and police began hunting for the Sudan-born man who had only recently arrived in New Zealand travelling on an Australian passport.
Border alerts were set up in case he tried to flee the country, though police said they believed he had remained in Auckland.
However, the Herald can reveal that Wek handed himself in at Avondale police station on May 13 this year.
Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton, who heads the Auckland City Financial Crime Unit, said that with border alerts in place, “we believe he ran out of options and is facing up to his charges in the Auckland District Court”.
“This is a great outcome for the Auckland City Financial Crime Unit who had been looking for the 32-year-old.”
Timeline of alleged offending
Wek arrived in New Zealand in March 2024. It’s alleged he set up bank accounts at ANZ and Kiwibank which were used to receive $1.8m in stolen money from five scam victims between May 3 and May 20 that year.
The first victim was a 69-year-old from Wellington who sent $440,000 to a Kiwibank account on May 3. Wek allegedly transferred $433,000 in six payments to an account in the UK.
The second victim was a 75-year-old from Christchurch who sent $700,000 to a Kiwibank account, also on May 3. Wek allegedly transferred $490,000 to separate Australian accounts between May 3 and 7.
About $117,000 of the money was spent on ”luxury items” at high-end jewellery stores, police said. Another $49,000 went on miscellaneous transactions and cash withdrawals.
The third victim was a 73-year-old from Christchurch who sent $200,000 to an ANZ account on May 15. Wek allegedly transferred $177,000 to accounts in the UK, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.
Cash withdrawals were also made, totalling $18,000.
The fourth victim was a 78-year-old from Northland who sent $200,000 to an ANZ account on May 15. Wek allegedly transferred the money to a UK bank in seven separate payments on May 16 and 17.
The fifth victim, a 41-year-old New Plymouth woman, sent $300,000 on May 20 to what she thought was a Kiwibank account, believing she was investing in a one-year Kiwibank term deposit.
Ayom Wek, 32, faces a raft of money laundering charges. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison. Photo / NZ Police
“However, the victim quickly realised the account details related to an ANZ account, not a Kiwibank account,” Bolton said.
“The victim moved swiftly to contact the Kiwibank fraud team and they successfully recovered the entire $300,000. Police have charged the 32-year-old with receiving for this alleged offending.”
Bolton said all the victims had fallen for a similar investment scam.
“Between late April and early May 2024, it will be alleged that this scam appeared as a legitimate Kiwibank 12-month term deposit.
“In this case all the victims completed an online ‘registration’ and were later called by a scammer calling themselves ‘Adam Bishop’ or ‘David Weir’, pretending to be from the bank.”
Bolton said scammers conducting this type of fraud were generally based offshore. Police believe the five victims were likely called from a scam compound in Myanmar.
Wek was remanded in custody at his first court appearance but was granted electronically-monitored bail last month. He is due to reappear this month.
If convicted, he could face up to seven years in prison.
Lane Nichols is Auckland desk editor for the New Zealand Herald with more than 20 years’ experience in the industry.
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