R v Zhang

The High Court of New Zealand delivered verdicts in a case involving allegations of fraudulent political party donations. The defendants were accused of using sham names to provide donations below the disclosure threshold, which amounted to obtaining by deception under the Crimes Act 1961. The case centred on three sets of donations: a $60,000 payment to the Labour Party in 2017, and two $100,000 donations to the National Party in 2017 and 2018. The legal issues included whether the defendants obtained a benefit by their actions, either to the political parties or to the true donors, and whether one defendant had obstructed the Serious Fraud Office's investigation.

The court found Mr Zhang and Mr Joe Zheng guilty of obtaining by deception in relation to the June 2018 donation to the National Party, but not guilty of other charges. Mr Colin Zheng was found guilty of obtaining by deception in relation to the June 2017 donation to the National Party. Mr Ross was acquitted of all charges. Mr Joe Zheng was also found guilty of supplying false or misleading information to the Serious Fraud Office. The court's reasoning was based on the evidence presented and the legal definitions of the charges. The verdicts resulted in convictions for the guilty defendants and acquittals for the others. The defendants were remanded for sentencing, and interim name suppression orders for certain parties were extended pending the hearing of applications for permanent name suppression.