A former restaurant business director masquerading as an immigration adviser deceived an employee into paying him thousands of dollars. His actions were undone the day the immigration adviser whose name he had been using in a fake email account walked into the kebab restaurant by coincidence, and she and the worker spoke. In July 2022, he created a fictitious email address, purporting to be the licensed immigration adviser, whom the worker had used in the past. However, no immigration services were ever provided to the worker for the $4809 he paid Akbaba in eight instalments. Judge Rielly said Akbaba’s apology letters to each victim, including the immigration adviser, were focused squarely on himself.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 09, 2026 13:34 UTC