Businessman fined $6000 for 'ironic' breach of FRA

John Carr, a company director and business associate of porn mogul Steve Crow, was today fined $6000 for breaches of the Financial Reporting Act (FRA).

Carr pleaded guilty in Auckland District Court today to six Ministry of Economic Development laid charges of failing to register foreign companies.

His lawyer Todd Simmons said the charges were "deeply ironic" because while the three companies in question were owned by a foreign corporation, the corporation was owned by a New Zealand company, which was in turn was owned by John Carr, who is a New Zealand citizen.

Carr was initially going to defend the charges but "he is a pragmatist" so decided the best way to deal with them was to submit early guilty pleas.

Judge Roderick Joyce said while it was "perfectly understandable" that Carr had inadvertently breached the Act, the statute must be enforced.

"It's was not an unreasonable way for him to have seen it because all roads led back to him and his home here in Auckland," he said.

Carr was fine $3000 on each of two charges and discharged without conviction on the remaining four.

Carr and Steve Crow have shared directorships of companies.

 

 

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