Bob LeFridge :tinoflag:<p>This is an unusual scam in NZ. A West Coast couple raised money from family and friends to pay for non-existent cancer treatment. Instead the money went on living the high life in Wanaka.</p><p>Nice rental house, Range Rover, party, party, party. Until the Tasman Organised Crime Unit interrupted their game.</p><p>They are Sepiuta Setaita Vave, 38, and Andrew Stewart Jones, 28. They've been charged with "defrauding a person of more than $1 million over the past two years."</p><p>Police say bank statements show that there are other victims and ask anyone who has been defrauded by this couple to get in touch.</p><p>They've been denied bail or name suppression and their assets have been seized to prevent further loss.</p><p><a href="https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/360792008/couple-allegedly-defrauded-family-and-friends-named" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3607920</span><span class="invisible">08/couple-allegedly-defrauded-family-and-friends-named</span></a></p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/NZ" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NZ</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/Scam" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Scam</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/Wanaka" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Wanaka</span></a></p>