A New Zealand banker sought by Interpol via red notice is reportedly denying any involvement in a sophisticated fraud scheme involving tens of millions of dollars.
Paul Robert Mora, 53, is wanted by German police for allegedly facilitating and concealing fraudulent transactions totalling to more than NZ$188 million, for an investor while head of division at a major bank between 2006 and 2008.
Red notices are issued as a request to law enforcement worldwide to track and "provisionally arrest a person pending extradition."
Mora has continually denied any involvement, his lawyer issuing a statement on Thursday saying the red notice was formed upon "no basis", Stuff reported on Thursday.
Mora's lawyer says he has kept German authorities informed on his whereabouts, even notifying them of his new Christchurch address when he moved in December 2020.
"He has not sought to conceal his whereabouts at all - on the contrary, he has been open and transparent with the German authorities."
He says German authorities had "no basis" to tell Interpol his whereabouts weren't known to them.
"The German authorities also appear to have omitted to explain that the €113m tax credits which are the subject of the proceedings in Wiesbaden have been reimbursed by Mr Mora's former employer and there has therefore been no loss to the German Treasury."
The statement adds that Mora will be making an "immediate" application to the German court for the order authorising a public search and the red notice to be withdrawn. Stuff reports he has always denied any wrongdoing.
New Zealand police cannot arrest people based on a red notice but can assist with extradition proceedings.
According to Interpol's website, Mora is accused of running a "sophisticated tax fraud scheme, known as 'cum-ex', [involving] financial institutions helping a buying party claim withholding tax credits on shares which had, in fact, never been withheld".
He and others accused of involvement in cum-ex schemes across Europe are due to stand trial in March, Associated Press reports. Two British bankers last year received suspended sentences after agreeing to provide information on the fraudulent schemes
