A former immigration minister has been stripped of his licence to practise as an immigration consultant, after losing a court battle and being declared bankrupt.
Tuariki Delamere, who became a high-profile immigration adviser after leaving politics, told RNZ he “made a dumb decision many years ago”.
In 2012, he made a deal with Chinese businessman Yingheng Liu, who sought residency through a business visa.
Liu put $500,000 into a venture that referred clients to Delamere, but his visa was rejected.
Delamere unsuccessfully appealed a 2021 judgment on the money as far as the Supreme Court. Liu returned to the High Court last month, asking for a bankruptcy adjudication, after less than $95,000 was returned.
Immigration Advisers Authority…