Former finance manager sentenced to prison for Ponzi scheme BD AI AI generated
25 Sep, 2026 1:22am
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Copy Link Email Facebook Twitter/X LinkedIn Reddit Yuko Hanyu, a former finance manager, has been sentenced to six years and four months in prison for her role in a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme.
Hanyu, who worked for East Wind, was found guilty on 10 charges by a jury in April.
She was ordered to pay $691,000 in reparations
and will be eligible for parole after serving a minimum of two years and six months.
East Wind marketed financial services and immigration support to the Japanese community in New Zealand.
However, the company collapsed in 2019, and it was revealed that the investment products offered were actually Ponzi schemes.
Hanyu also stole more than $800,000 from the company.
The Serious Fraud Office said the case undermined legitimate investment markets and threatened New Zealand's reputation as a safe place to do business.
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