Tongans in the United States are trying to recruit new members for an investment scheme called Hyperfund that is offering unrealistic returns to investors.

Kaniva News has learned that Tongans who have bought into the scheme have been promising potential recruits a big payday.

However, all the evidence shows that those who buy in to such schemes have some chance of making money, but there is no real return on investments. Their payouts only continue as long as other people keep buying in to the scheme.

Eventually all such schemes collapse and people lose all their supposed investment.

Now some Tongans in New Zealand have inquired after video clips and banners promoting Hyperfund appeared on Facebook.

In May this year, Setaita Tanaki, who appears to be based in Utah, appeared online to claim that Hyperfund was just like any other financial company. She said people who complained about it did not know how to withdraw the profits they should receive.

She claimed she has received rewards of US$200 daily and she urged Tongans in New Zealand and Australia as well as yard workers in the US join in.

She also claimed anybody who invested in the company had the amount tripled immediately which was then unavailable for a certain period of  time.

“You need to invest $330 in the Hyperfund which is the minimum,” Tanaki said.

“The $300 is your money and $30 is an administration fee. So once you deposit your $330 into Hyperfund they automatically triple the amount and the amount will show in your account within 24 – 48 hours as $900 but it will appear as pending for 20 months.

“During that 20 months Hyperfund then invests your money. Everyday you will be given an interest of $1.50 as a reward. When the reward reaches $50 you can withdraw it.

“That’s 34 days of your investment. You can withdraw it or you can re-deposit that $50 in which Hyberfund will triple it. The more money you deposit the more money you will receive.

“Last week I had a client in California they were a couple they wanted to deposit $300,000. I flew there and deposited their money into Hyperfund. Once it was deposited the Hyberfund tripled their money and they have $300,000 in their account. Their reward was $3500 every week. I advised them to withdraw one week after the other and just redeposit the following weeks. “

In response to accusations that the company was suspicious in a separate Facebook livestream, she claimed the company was real and had $30 million invested. She described the $30 million investment as a “pot of gold.”

But not everybody is convinced. Loukie Fungavaka spoke to Kaniva News about his experiences.

“They said they were just like the Bitcoin Kiwi System and other such companies,” Fungavaka said.

“But we have not yet signed up with them. I am afraid if I invested my money it would be lost. I tried to use my Kiwi Bank in depositing my money, but they did not accept it and then we withdrew.”

Semi-literate statements

One of the signs that people should be wary of such schemes are the semi-literate statements from supposed experts and professionals that have been posted in various places online. The following certainly doesn’t sound the work of a professional working in insurance:

“This has been a great experience. I understand numbers and COMPUNDING very well with my insurance background. This concept really makes sense if you UNDERSTAND THE REAL INTENT of this project. Once you get IT, OHHHHHMY GAWWWWD IT’S A NO BRAINER. On the quest to #30million.”

Or this claim:

“This is a rare opportunity to bulk up some savings and keep bulking them up and earn mega interest. I so far have invested a few thousand and now am seeing massive returns. In a years time I will have enough for a deposit on a house no problem. Say you put in $1000 yoy will automatically be able to compound this in to $3000 and then whilst you’re new balance is unlocking day by day you will be able to re buy memberships and then as long as you remember to log in every few days and re buy at $50 (witch adds $150 to total balance) then you will be watching you’re money snowball in to a big big amount.”

NZ Commerce Commission warnings

News of this latest money making scheme comes in the wake of a report about a locally run  scam that left investors thousands of dollars out of pocket.

The New Zealand Commerce Commission puts it very simply: There are no get-rich-quick schemes. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

The Commission says people should not hand over their personal details or money to someone they have not met who solicits them online, via e-mail or text.

People should be wary about providing personal information, passwords or bank details in response to communications that they owe money or that they are owed money.

When people are buying goods or services on-line check they should make they know who they are dealing with.

The Commission said people should check review sites, social media and websites like Scamwatch to find out about other peoples’ experiences before they handed over money or personal details.

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA

‘Oku kamata ke ‘asi lahi mai ‘eni hano tu’uaki ‘o e Hyperfund ‘e he kau Tonga mei ‘Amelika’ pea kuo nga’uta ha ni’ihi ke faka’eke’eke ke nau kau ki ai mei Nu’u Sila mo ‘Aositelēlia. ‘Oku hoko ma’u pe foki e ngaahi me’a peheni’ ke toe fai mai ai ‘e hotau kāinga ha faka’eke’eke ki he Ongoongo ‘a e Kaniva’ tu’unga ‘i homau ngafa ke faka’eke’eke ki ha mo’oni ‘o ha me’a ‘oku hoko. Ko e tu’uaki ko ‘eni mei ‘Amelika’ ‘oku  mei fai mei Utah ‘e he fefine ko Setaita Tānaki. Pea kuo’ ne pehē kuo ne ma’u ‘a e US$200 he ‘aho ko ‘ene tupu he’ene ‘invesi ‘i he Hyperfund. Kuo’ ne uki ‘a e kakai ke nau kau ange ‘i he’ene tui ko e monū’ia ‘eni ke lavemonū ai ‘a e Tonga’. Kuo’ ne pehē ‘e kamata pe ‘ete mēmipa’ ‘aki ‘a e totongi ko e $300 tānaki ki ai mo e $30 ko e fī ‘a e kautaha’. Na’a’ ne pehē ko ho’o huu’ pe pe ha pe lahi ho’o pa’anga ‘e fakahuu’ ‘e liungatolu’i ia ‘e he kautaha he taimi pe ko ia’ ka ‘e loka’i ai ‘i he māhina ‘e 20 kae foaki atu pe ho’o ki’i tupu $1.50 he ‘aho. Ko ‘ene a’u pe ‘o $50 te ke lava leva ‘e koe ia ‘o toho ‘a e tupu ko ia’.

Ko e fakamatala ‘eni ‘oku ma’u ma’u’

Ka ‘i he fakatotolo tau’atāina ‘a e Ongoongo ‘a e Kaniva Tonga’ ‘oku mahino ai ‘oku ‘ikai toe kehe  ‘a e Hyperfund mo e ngaahi sikiimi pilamita kuo ha’ulu ‘i Nu’u Sila mo ‘Amelika’ pea lavea ai mo e kāinga Tonga he kolope’. Ko ‘enau faitatau’ ‘oku peheni: ‘E ‘i ai ‘a e sēniti ia ‘e ma’u ‘e ha taha ‘e kau ai tautefito ki he kamakamata’. Pea ‘oku hangē pe ia ha faka’ai’ai’.  Ka ko e tokolahi taha ‘e ’ikai toe ma’u kotoa mai ‘a ‘enau  pa’anga kuo fakahuu’ ‘amui tautefito ki he kau fakahū pa’anga lalahi’. Ko hono totongi fakafoki mau ‘enau pa’anga’  ‘e fakafalala pe he lahi ‘o e kakai ‘e hū atu ki loto ke vilo ai e pa’anga ke nau vahe’. Pea ko ‘ene palopalema ‘oku hoko ia he fo’i tu’utu’uni ko ia’ – ke fakahū mai ke tokolahi kae hokohoko atu ho’o vahe’. Kuo ‘osi fakamo’oni’i ko e taha ia ha fo’i tu’utu’uni ta’emalava ke a’usia fakatatau ki hono fiema’u’  he ‘oku ‘ikai ma’ungofua pe ma’u noa pe ha kakai ‘oku nau faingamalie pa’anga ke fakakau ki he ‘invesi’ ni. Ka ke manatu’i te ke palopalema’ia koe hono feinga’i ha kakai ke fakahuu’ ka kuo ‘osi ‘ela ‘i loto ‘i he Hyperfund ia pe sikiimi pilamita’ ‘a ho’o lau afe pe lau mano pe kilu’. Pea fuoloa pe hono ta’e ‘oatu ha kakai ke fakatokolahi ko e kamata ia ke nau tuku mai e ngaahi fakamatala tulitonuhia kehekehe iku ai pe ki he tala mai kuo mole ‘a e pa’anga ‘i he hā mo e hā mo e hā. Hili ange ko ia’ ‘oku ‘ikai mole ‘a e pa’anga ka ko hano puke ia ‘o ma’u ‘e ha ni’ihi ne nau fokotu’u ‘a e kulupu’. Ko e me’a kotoa ‘eni kuo a’usia ‘e kinautolu ne tō hono malanga’i ‘o e ngaahi kulupu fakahū pa’anga ‘i Nu’u Sila’ ni, ‘Aositelēlia, ‘Amelika mo Tonga’.

Hala ha fefakamo’oni’aki fakapepa:

Ko e me’a ‘e taha ke tokanga ki ai ‘a e kakai’, fekau’aki mo e fa’ahinga ‘invesimeni ta’epau peheni’ ko e ‘ikai ha fefakamo’oni’aki fakapepa’ ki he ngaahi alea kotoa ‘oku fai ‘osi pea ‘oatu ha’o tatau ke ke tauhi. Ke hangē ko e pangikee’ ke ke tipositi fakateemi ha’o pa’anga ‘osi pea mou tangutu ki lalo mo e kau ngāue ‘a e pangikee ‘o fakamatala’i atu ‘a e me’a fakapepa ko ia’, ‘e toho kotoa ‘a fē ho’o pa’anga’ pea ko e ha ‘a e tupu te ke ma’u’  ke ke mahino’i ‘osi pea mou fefekamo’oni’aki tohinima ki ai. ‘Oku ‘ikai ha me’a pehē ia ‘i he ngaahi sikiimi pilamita ko ‘eni’ hangē ko e Hyperfund. Ko hono fakamatala’i atu ‘o e tupu mo e pa’anga te ke ala ma’u mo e founga ‘a ho’o fakahū pa’anga’ ‘oku fai ngutu pe. Pea ko e halanga ia ki ha puputu’u lahi mo e mole  ‘a mui he ‘e ‘ikai ha me’a fakapepa ia ke fakamo’oni’i ‘i ha fakatonutonu fakalao ke mo’ua mai ha taha ke totongi fakafoki mai ho’o pa’anga’.

‘Oku ‘ikai pe ako e tokolahi

Neongo foki ‘a e ngaahi teu hopo ko ‘eni mo e mahino kuo holafa ‘o mole ‘osi e pa’anga lau kilu a’u ki he miliona ‘i hono fakataha’i’,  ‘a e kakai Tonga ‘i Nu’u Sila he me’a ko ‘eni ko e sikiimi pilamita’ ka ‘oku ‘ikai pe tuku. ‘Oku kei sio pe Kaniva’ he mītia fakasōsiale’ ‘oku kei tu’uaki mai pe ia ‘e ha ni’ihi ka ‘oku nau tala ‘eni ko e founga fo’ou pea ‘oku ‘osi ‘i ai ‘enau fo’i sisitemi ko ā te nau lava ai ‘e kinautolu ‘o fakatupu ha pa’anga ma’a e kakai’. Ka ‘oku ‘ikai ha mo’oni ia ai. Ko e pilamita’ pe ia. He ‘e iku kotoa pe ki ho’o fakahū pea ko ho’o vahe ‘e makatu’unga he kakai te ke fakahū ange’ pea ko e founga tofu pe ia ‘a e sikiimi pilamita’. ‘E palopalema ia pea ko e ‘uhinga ia ‘oku ta’ofi fakalao ai ‘e he ngaahi fonua’ ke tapui ‘a e fa’ahinga ‘inivesimeni ta’epau’ ni.

Ko e ngāue faka’akauniteni pe fakafika

‘Oku totonu foki ke mahino ko hano ‘invesi pe fakatupu ha pa’anga lahi hangē ko ha 1 miliona nai pea ke vahevahe pa’anga ko ia’ fakataha mo hono tupu’ ki ha kakai ‘e toko 100 nai ‘i ha lau ‘aho pe ko e me’a ia ke fika’i ‘e ha taha ngāue fakapolofesinale hangē ko ha ‘akauniteni pe taha ma’u mata’i tohi he fika’. He ‘e fiema’u ha taha  ‘oku’ ne lava lelei ‘aupito  ‘a e fika ‘Āsipa’ (Algebra) pe Setisitika’ (Satistics) pe ‘Akaunitingi’. Fiema’u ha taha ia ‘oku paasi pe kaulafai he ngaahi fika ko ‘eni pea ‘e ala ke tau falala atu ke lava fika’i ‘a seniti ko ‘eni ke tonu hono vahevahe’ neongo hono ‘osi fakamo’oni’i ‘oku ta’emalava ‘i he sikiimi pilamita’.  ‘Oku faka’ohovale ‘a e ngaahi kulupu sikiimi pilamita lahi ‘i Nu’u Sila kuo holafa ka ko e fokotu’u ia ‘e he kau fefine ne ‘ikai ke nau ngāue fakapolofesinale pe faka’akauniteni pe ma’u ha taukei ngāue fakatupu pa’anga pe te nau ma’u mata’itohi he mala’e ‘o e ngaahi fika ko ‘eni’. Ka nau fo’i tu’u hake pe ‘o uki e kakai ‘o tānaki pa’anga ke nau ‘inivesi mo fakatupu’i tokua’. Kumi atu ki honau puipuitu’a’ ko e kau ngāue leipa pe, kilina mo peki he ngaahi fale koloa’, te’eki ke nau lava tānaki ha pa’anga ke fakatau kesi hanau ‘api pe me’alele, ka nau tu’u mai ke nau ‘inivesi ha laui kilu pe miliona’. Oku fakamo’oni ki heni ‘a e me’a ko ‘eni. ‘I he faka’eke’eke ‘a e Kaniva’ he palopalema ko ‘eni ‘i Nu’u Sila’  ‘oku meimei ko e fakamatala tatau pe ‘oku ha’u mei he kau fakalele pilamita kuo palopalema’. Ko ‘enau pehē ne fu’u lahi e pa’anga’ ia pea ‘ikai ke nau toe ‘ilo pe ‘e vahevahe fefee’i pea vahe atu e ni’ihi kae ‘ikai ‘ilo pe ‘e fēfee’i e toenga iku ai pe ki he ta’ofi. Ko e tefito’i palopalema heni he ne ‘ikai pe ha’anau taukei fakafika mo faka’akauniteni ke lava ke nau e pa’anga’. Pea ni’ihi ‘ilo pe ‘e ‘ikai ke nau lava ka ko e fo’i mātu’aki kākā pe ke ma’u e pa’anga ‘a e kakai’.  Ne ‘eke atu ki he taki kulupu ‘e taha he kau pilamita ko ‘eni pe ‘oku ne ‘ilo ko e pa’anga ‘e fiha he pēseti ‘e 25 ‘o e tola Nu’u Sila ‘e $1 ‘ikai ke ne ‘ilo ia ‘e ia. Pea kapau ‘oku ‘ikai ke ne ‘ilo e ki’i fika faingofua ko ia’ pea ‘e fēfē ha’ane lava fika’i e tupu ko e pēseti ‘e 20 ‘o e  $18,000 ne lī ‘e he taha ‘ene kau mēmipa līlii’  ke fakafoki ange ‘i ha ‘aho pe ‘e 7 hangē ko ‘enau palomesi’.

Na’e ‘osi toutou lipooti ‘eni ‘e he Kaniva’ he ngaahi ta’u ki mu’a ka ne kei fili ha kakai Tonga ke nau tō hono malanga’i ‘e ha ni’ihi ke ‘oange ‘enau pa’anga ke fakatupu. ‘Ikai fuoloa kuo holafa ‘o mate pea nau mātuku ‘o mole ‘enau pa’anga kae tu’umālie ai kinautolu ia ne nau fa’ufa’u e fo’i invesimeni ta’etotonu ko ia’.

The late King Tupou IV has  been implicated in the disappearance of two hired thugs who killed a Sydney horse trainer in 1984.

Corrupt Australian bookmaker Bill Waterhouse, who died in 2019, is accused by his son David of organising an assault on Sydney horse trainer George Brown.

The two Tongan men sent to assault and tortured Brown, broke his legs, murdered him and then incinerated him in his car.

David Waterhouse made a statement to New South Wales police which has now been widely circulated in the  media.

In it he claimed the two murderers had “disappeared” after returning to Tonga.

He said his father had told him: “I got the King to take them straight back to Tonga and they’ve disappeared. They’ll never be heard of again. The Tongans cook pigs and humans in the ground.”

The New South Wales racing industry has had a notorious reputation for decades and New South Wales police have also been the subject of investigations for corruption over the years. In 2019 New South Wales police finally issued an Aus$1 million reward for information about Brown’s murder – 35 years after it happened.

Tupou IV was no stranger to accusations of corruption and abuse of power. In 2002 the late ‘Akilisi Pohiva caused an uproar when he claimed that Tupou IV had a secret overseas bank account containing at least $848 million. The government furiously denied the claim.

However, New Zealand took the situation in Tonga at the time so seriously that controls were imposed on New Zealand’s annual $6 million foreign aid package to the kingdom, with then Foreign Minister Phil Goff saying it was to avoid the aid programme being “subverted by corruption.”

Tupou IV’s reign was marked by controversy, especially the selling of Tongan passports which raised tens of millions of dollars which then largely vanished from public view.

The king became friends with Bill Waterhouse when was studying law at Sydney University.

Also studying law at the time was Neville Wran, who later became premier of New South Wales. Wran fended off several media investigations into alleged corruption, but his reputation did not survive his death.

Bill later became Tonga’s consul-General in Sydney.

Tupou VI and other members of the royal family attended Waterhouse’s funeral in 2019.

For more information

Bill Waterhouse farewelled in Sydney

NZ slaps Tonga over rights

Tonga’s royal corruption

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA NOUNOU:

Kuo ‘i ai ha fakamatala tukuaki’i mamafa ‘o e  Tu’i ‘o Tonga kuo ungafonua ko Taufa’āhau Tupou IV ka ko e ‘eiki ‘a Tupou VI kuo toki tuku ange mai he ongoongo mei ‘Aositelēlia’. Kuo tukuaki’i e tu’i’ ni ki he puli ‘osi ‘a  ha ongo tangata ne na fakahoko ha tāmate,  tukuaki’i ne ne kau ki ha tila ta’efakalao mo ta’etotonu he paasipooti, fetuku fakafufū ‘o ha monumanu mo e faito’o konatapu ko e kanapisi.

Ko hano fakahā tonu ‘eni e David Waterhouse ko e foha si’i taha ia ‘o Bill Waterhouse ko e konisela lauita’u ‘a Tonga ‘i ‘Aositelēlia ka kuo’ ne pekia’ ki he kau polisi’. Na’a’ ne pehē na’e ‘i ai ‘a e ongo Tonga ne na fakahoko ha fakapō ‘i ‘Aositelēlia hili ha tu’utu’uni ‘ene tamai’, ‘a Bill ke fakamamahi’i ‘a Brown ke totongi fakafoki ange ‘a e silini ne totongi kiate ia ke fai e fo’i ngāue ka ne ‘ikai ke ne fakahoko. Na’e pehē ‘e David ko e fakahā tonu ange ‘eni ‘e he’ene tamai ki ai he 1988 pea ne fakamanamana’i ke ‘oua na’a lea.  Kuo te’eki  fakahā ‘e he kau polisi ‘Aositelēlia’a ‘a e hingoa ‘a e ongo Tonga ko ‘eni. Ka ne mahino mei he fakamatala ‘a David ne tala ange ‘e Bill ‘oku fiemalie pe ia ‘e ‘ikai ‘ilo e fakapō ia na’e fai’ he ‘e  fakafoki ‘a e ongo tangata ia ki Tonga pea ‘e fetu’utaki pe ia kia Tupou IV ke fai ha me’a kia kinaua. ‘Oku pehē ne foki pe ongo tangata’ ki Tonga’ ‘o puli ai pe.

Ko hano tamate’i ‘eni ‘e he ongo Tonga ko ‘eni ‘a e tangata faiako ki he fanga hōsi’ ko George Brown ‘i he ‘aho 2 ‘Epeleli 1984 ‘a ia ne ne ta’u 38 he ‘aho ko ia. Na’e toki ma’u hono sino’i i ha loto kā kuo tutu ‘i ha vao ‘i Bulli Tops, tokelau ‘o Wollongong. Talu mei he ‘aho ko ia’ mo e fiu ‘a e kau polisi hono kumi  ‘a e tupu’anga ‘ene mate’ mo hai ne kaunga ki ai’ mo e ‘ikai pe ke nau ma’u.

Ne toki ‘asi hake he ongoongo ‘a ‘Aositelelia’ he ta’u kuo ‘osi’ ‘a e pehē kuo ma’u ‘e he kau fakatotolo’ ha fakamo’oni fo’ou ngali ko e mate ‘a Brown ko e ngāue ‘a ha taha pe ‘i he kau peti lova hōsi’. Pea ko ia ‘eni kuo  fakamo’oni  ki ai ‘a David  he ko ‘ene tamai’ ‘a Bill ko e taha ia e kau tu’umālie mo ‘iloa taha ‘o ‘Aositelēlia he mala’e lova hōsi’. ‘A ia ko Bill na’a’ ne tu’utu’uni ke fakahoko ha me’a kia Brown. Ka ne pehē ‘e Bill ne ‘ikai ‘uhinga ia ke tamate’i ka ne ‘ova e me’a ‘a e ongo Tonga’ ne fai ‘o na fakapoongi ia ‘enaua.

Pehē ‘e David ko ‘ene toki lava pe ‘o lea ki he me’a ni hili e mate ‘ene tamai he 2019. Ko e hili ia ha tuku atu ‘e he kau polisi’ ha me’a’ofa  $1 miliona ki ha taha te ne ma’u mai ha fakamatala ke tokoni ke ma’u ‘a kinautolu ne nau fakahoko ‘a e hia’ ni. Ko e kaungāme’a fafale ‘o Tupou IV ‘a Bill talu pe ‘ena ako ‘i ‘Aositelēlia he 70 tupu’ pea iku fakanofo ai pe ia ke konisela ma’a Tonga. Ko e ongoongo ko eni ne tuku ange mai ‘e he Herald Sun ‘a ‘Aositelēlia’ pea ko e konga ia ‘o ha tohi kuo fa’u ‘e he tangata fa’u tohi ko Andrew Rule ki he pekia ‘a Brown pea ‘oku ‘amanaki ke hifoaki ‘a e tohi’ ni he ‘aho’ ni.  ‘Oku ‘i ai e tui ‘e fakaikiiki kotoa he tohi’ ni ‘a e ngaahi tukuaki’i ko ‘eni’.