By RNZ
A Lower Hutt man convicted of illegal gambling and money laundering has been forced to give up the more than $600,000 he profited from it.
In April, Thomas Mackay Taniwha was fined $16,500 following a two-year police and Department of Internal Affairs investigation – dubbed Operation Ace – which found he was running “high turnover” poker games both in person and on online gambling platforms.
But Justice Peter Churchman has now also ordered him to forfeit $619,692 – which police say is how much he made from the illegal activity – under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act.
“A search warrant executed by staff from the DIA and Police in February 2022 located $25,700 cash and a room outfitted for the purposes of hosting poker games,” Detective Sergeant Sam Buckley said.
