Auckland lawyer banned from Guernsey tax haven trust work

Questions are being asked about an Auckland lawyer who had been banned from handling trusts in the tax haven of Guernsey for five years shortly before starting work as a trust and company lawyer here. The 2010 prohibition order banned British-born lawyer Matt Butterfield from carrying out functions relating to the financial services industry under Guernsey legislation. But he was not required to declare the Guernsey order in New Zealand because company law here only asks about people banned in New Zealand and Australia. In a deposition in a separate court case in the United States he described New Zealand legislation "first world" but enforcement "third world". One person who has had dealings with Matt Butterfield is American Darrin Stock and his wife Tanya Dick. He spoke to our deputy editor Kim Griggs from the island of Jersey. He believes New Zealand has inadvertently given Mr Butterfield a safe harbour to operate in. Mr Butterfield was asked for a response to this story but he has not responded to the request. Nicky Hager's investigation is part of Project Daphne, a multi-nation collaboration to carry on the work of Maltese journalist Daphne Cauana Galizia, who was murdered while reporting on Maltese government corruption and the Azerbaijan-linked money laundering.