A couple accused of a $1million fake cancer swindle used stories of expensive treatment and locked overseas funds to string their victims along, police say.
Andrew Stewart Jones (28) and Sepiuta Setaita Vave (38) were arrested in Wānaka on Thursday where police say they had been "living the high life".
Charged with defrauding a person of $1,044,500 over the past two years, the couple later appeared in Queenstown District Court where they were remanded in custody.
They had recently moved to Wānaka from South Westland, but police could not say how long they lived there, where, or when they moved.
Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Dye said the pair allegedly leveraged existing associations and relationships to defraud persons known to them.
"The suspects claimed that one of them had cancer and needed to borrow finances to address the cost of medical treatment. They did not have cancer and did not require the money for medical treatment.
"They then provided various explanations as to why further funds were required to be able to free up money in overseas jurisdictions in order to be able to repay the initial amounts ‘borrowed’."
There was no evidence that any crowdfunding platform had been involved.
Their offending first came to light through another fraud-related matter, filed in court against the couple in April 2024.
Those matters related to offending against two other victims for a total of $79,000. Police said it was through this that they were able to identify the million-dollar scam.
Police are urging victims of the alleged fraud to contact the Tasman Organised Crime Unit.
"Inquiries to date including an ongoing financial analysis of bank accounts used by the couple, which indicates there are other victims who have not yet spoken with police but have been identified.
"They will be approached in the coming weeks as we complete the inquiry," Det Sen Sgt Dye said.
The couple are next due to appear in the Christchurch District Court on August 25 via audiovisual link. — By Meg Fulford, Greymouth Star
