SFO cracks $5m mortgage scam

New Zealand's Serious Fraud Office has charged two Auckland women over an alleged mortgage fraud scheme that used stolen identities and forged documents to secure close to $5 million in lending against properties without the owners' knowledge, Stuff reported.

Identities stolen to secure loans against unknowing owners

The two women, who have interim name suppression, were arrested following a search warrant at a property in Auckland's Epsom last week and appeared in Auckland District Court facing four joint charges of obtaining by deception.

The SFO alleges they were part of a wider criminal syndicate that stole the identities of at least three people to dishonestly obtain mortgages against those people's properties.

"The SFO alleges a criminal syndicate worked together to fraudulently obtain nearly $5 million in mortgages. It is alleged they have stolen the identities of at least three people to dishonestly obtain mortgages against those people's properties without their knowledge," the SFO said.

The alleged scheme went to considerable lengths to appear legitimate, with the syndicate accused of forging a New Zealand driver's licence, residential tenancy records and immigration documents, and using foreign passports, 1News reported. Fictitious addresses, a PO Box, and phone numbers and email accounts were allegedly used to support the applications, while bank accounts were opened in victims' names to receive the loan funds.

The two women charged are next due in Auckland District Court on 26 August.

SFO seeks public help identifying three more people

The SFO has released images of two men and a woman it believes may hold information relevant to the investigation, none of whom are among those already charged. The agency said it believes the three frequent the Albany and St Lukes areas of Auckland, and is asking anyone who recognises them to come forward.

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