ANZ Bank was unable to recover the money after it was wired overseas. It has refused liability and declined to reimburse the man for his significant losses.
Unhappy with the bank’s stance, the entertainer has now engaged a private investigator and even written to ANZ board chairman Sir John Key in a bid to recover the money.
Police believe the criminals are based offshore, say they have no lines of inquiry and the case has been shelved. They are warning people to triple-check the legitimacy of investment opportunities before parting with their cash.
The entertainer is a celebrated musician who has won countless accolades over the course of his distinguished career.
He asked to remain anonymous to avoid a backlash given his public profile, but wanted to tell his story to warn others about the danger of being scammed.
“These guys need to be stopped completely because they are taking in so many New Zealanders.
“I really feel for [other victims] big time, because it’s not just that action [of being scammed], it’s the demeaning of a person’s life.”
Early last year the entertainer noticed an online advertisement purporting to be for AMP Capital Funds. After responding he received an investment offer for an AMP high-yield, global market fund promising a 4.94 per cent one-year return.
He spent several weeks seeking further documentation and…
