Kolini Tatafu, the 71-year-old architect of a notorious 2012 immigration scam that preyed on dozens of vulnerable Tongan migrants, has been arrested once more – this time facing charges of causing loss by deception.
Despite a recent serious health scare, the serial fraudster was sentenced last month after her High Court appeal failed, continuing a pattern of exploitation that has now left 26 new victims – predominantly low-income congregants from a Māngere church – approximately $63,000 poorer, the NZ Herald reported.
Tatafu was sentenced to two years and seven months in prison.
Court documents reveal Tatafu’s brazen tactics, including falsely claiming romantic involvement with a High Court judge to convince victims she could circumvent normal immigration channels.
“As a result of these representations, various people who were desperate to obtain citizenship and/or permanent residence paid sums of money which, of course, were not applied to any purpose associated with the promises she had made,” according to the Herald.
At her January sentencing in Manukau District Court, Judge Luke Radich delivered a damning assessment: “Plainly false,” he declared of Tatafu’s claims, emphasising her calculated exploitation of families desperate for residency.
“One of the victim impact statements states that the defendant told them that if they believed in Christ then they had to trust her,” Judge Radich noted.
“The victims were all vulnerable individuals unfamiliar with processes for acquiring visas, setting up small businesses, buying houses and such. They were sometimes in desperate situations which made them easy targets for Ms Tatafu.”
With name suppression now lifted, authorities hope public awareness will prevent further victimisation.
The court heard how Tatafu exploited vulnerable Tongan migrants, many from a Māngere church community, who paid thousands in desperation.
“The victims in this case were almost universally vulnerable and clearly of very limited means,” Judge Radich noted at the January hearing, acknowledging that it would “be a body blow to a number of the victims” that he wouldn’t be ordering restitution because the defendant claimed to be broke.
“One of the most striking factors about this case is Ms Tatafu’s abject lack of remorse. She has not, as far as I have seen, even said sorry.”
