Jami-Lee Ross not guilty in political donations case, businessmen found guilty
Four men facing Serious Fraud Office charges over National Party donations pleaded not guilty on their first court appearance today.
Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook
Former National MP Jami-Lee Ross has been found not guilty on charges of fraud relating to donations made to the Labor and National parties.
On Wednesday, after hearing seven weeks of evidence, High Court Judge Ian Gault delivered his verdict at the trial.
Ross and three businessmen – Yikun Zhang, Shijia (Colin) Zheng and Hengjia (Joe) Zheng – were charged by the Serious Fraud Office over donations made to the National Party in 2017 and 2018.
The three businessmen have also been charged – alongside two men and a woman, all of whom have had their names provisionally suppressed – over donations made to the Labor Party in 2017.
The Crown’s evidence at trial was that fake donors were used and promoted by men inside both political parties to disguise the real donor: Zhang.
Judge Gault found Zhang not guilty of the National Party donation in 2017 but guilty of the donation in 2018.
Colin Zheng was convicted in connection with the 2017 and 2018 donation.
Joe Zheng was found guilty in connection with the 2018 donation and guilty of obstructing a Serious Fraud Office investigation.
Ross was acquitted of all charges.
Zhang, the Zheng twins and those whose names have been removed were all found not guilty of donations made to the Labor Party in 2017.
The events leading up to the trial in the Auckland High Court were sparked in 2018, when Ross made a series of explosive allegations about then national leader Simon Bridges and his handling of party donations.
However, Ross’ allegations instead led him to indict Zhang and the Zheng brothers.
All of the defendants denied engaging in any fraudulent scheme, ruse or scheme in which they intended to deceive the Labor and National party secretaries, the Electoral Commission and the public.
Paintings
The Crown’s evidence at trial related to five paintings sold at an alleged mock auction.
Prior to the purchase, a meeting was held between the defendants, in which it was agreed that Zhang would purchase the painting, but that others would be offered as donors, the Crown alleged.
A total of $34,840 was then transferred to the Labor Party in smaller donations, under five different names.
All of the people whose names were used told the court that they had not donated to the party.
Dinner at Cibo
Two months after the Labor donations, Zhang, Shijia (Colin) Zheng and Ross met at Cibo, a restaurant in Parnell, Auckland.
Crown’s case was at the meeting it was agreed that Zhang would donate $100,000 to National. However, other names would be offered as donors and the money would be split into smaller chunks to fit under the disclosure threshold.
The second round of National Party donations that have been considered by the courts were made in 2018.
Joe Zheng made seven transfers, totaling $100,050, to the National Party following a meeting between Zhang and Bridges in May.
Ross had told Bridges that Zhang was interested in a royal honor and supported both sides of politics, but aligned more with the National Party.
In September of the same year, Zhang was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to New Zealand-China relations and the Chinese community.
