The Crown has described it as an "elaborate" plot on the Gold Coast in May 2017. The Gold Coast scheme, the Crown alleges, involved the businessman recruiting two people who work in public relations to aid the attempt. She said her client, who was not physically on the Gold Coast, was never involved in the alleged plot. Within 24 hours of returning to Auckland from the Gold Coast, the two PR workers met with the businessman's manager at a central city bar. The businessman's lawyer, David Jones QC, yesterday said reliability and credibility "is a big issue in this trial for many of the Crown witnesses".

Source: New Zealand Herald February 18, 2021 22:12 UTC