Labour Party donations: Six in court on Serious Fraud Office charges over 2017 election donations, as one criminal seeks name suppression and suppression of their former job

What is the bet this is the scum CCP life member Raqymond Hao Six people charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in relation to election donations made to the Labour Party in 2017 have appeared in court for the first time, where they were granted bail and interim name suppression. The six individuals were charged earlier this month with two charges each of obtaining by deception at least $34,840 for the political party, on or about March 28, 2017. None of the accused are sitting MPs or current or former party officials. On Monday at the Auckland District Court in front of Judge Brooke Gibson, nine lawyers represented the six defendants, none of who entered a plea. READ MORE: * Serious Fraud Office charges six people over 2017 Labour Party election donations * Police refer Māori Party to Serious Fraud Office over $328,000 in undeclared donations * Pair accused in NZ First Foundation case continue to keep identities secret * Serious Fraud Office investigation into donations made to Labour Party in 2017 Court documents seen by Stuff allege the six provided the donor “freedom from any public scrutiny.” ADVERTISEMENT Advertise with Stuff Five names were also allegedly used to create the illusion of five donations of sums less than $15,000 to conceal the full amount and the identity of the donor, court documents show. Six people have been charged over election donations made to the Labour Party. (File photo) TOM HUNT/STUFF Six people have been charged over election donations made to the Labour Party. (File photo) Paul Wicks QC, on behalf of the SFO, did not oppose name suppression, which was granted on an interim basis for all six defendants. The six defendants initially sat in the public gallery but were ordered by Judge Gibson to enter the dock, so media could take photographs and video of them, which cannot be published pending another hearing on name suppression. A large media contingent was present. All six accused were remanded on bail to appear for another hearing on June 8. Their bail conditions include providing a residential address and notifying the SFO of any overseas travel. Jude Gibson made an additional suppression order relating to one of the defendants, preventing publication of his current or former occupation. The six accused appeared at the Auckland District Court on Monday. (File photo) CHRIS MCKEEN/STUFF The six accused appeared at the Auckland District Court on Monday. (File photo) The six accused were represented in court by several of Auckland's top lawyers. Marc Corlett QC and junior barrister Charlotte Agnew-Harington are representing two of the defendants. John Katz QC and Blair Keown, Rosemary Thomson, Paul Dacre QC, and Sam Lowery are each representing one of the other four accused. ADVERTISEMENT Advertise with Stuff After the charges were announced, Labour Party general secretary Rob Salmond said the party had complied with the law. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earlier said the current political system for donations clearly was not working. Donations made to the National Party and the New Zealand First Foundation are the subject of active court cases, while donations made to the Māori Party are being investigated. “That’s still incumbent on us to say, ‘Look this isn’t a good environment for anyone, for [any] political party,’ and New Zealanders want to have confidence in the system, so let’s look at the law,” Ardern said.