Crime Surge: Auckland lawyer, Comancheros gang vice-president jailed

The second-in-charge of the Comancheros and an Auckland lawyer acting for the gang have been sent to jail for laundering millions of dollars.

Tyson Daniels in court. Photo: RNZ / Jordan Bond

Chapter vice-president Tyson Daniels pleaded guilty to nine charges of money laundering and one of participating in an organised criminal group.
Lawyer Andrew Neill Simpson pleaded guilty to 13 charges of money laundering. Both were sentenced today in the Auckland High Court.
Daniels and Simpson were among six people charged after a sting on the group last year, where police seized millions of dollars of assets.
Justice Gerard van Bohemen said both men played crucial roles in the sophisticated operation at an "undoubtedly large scale".
He said the laundered money was filtered through layers of trust accounts and broken up into smaller quantities in a bid to avoid detection.
Daniels was jailed for four years and eight months, and Simpson for two years and nine months.
"Mr Daniels, as vice-president of the Comancheros, you oversaw the gang's operations and directed its criminal activity. You had overarching responsibility for the operation, even if you left its implementation to others. You received significant personal benefits from the operation, including the purchase and use of luxury vehicles," Justice van Bohemen said.
"Ms Dyhrberg [Daniels' lawyer] accepts there are no personal mitigating factors others than a discount for your early guilty plea. I have, however, taken note of the letters in support written by your wife, mother, sisters and your friend," van Bohemen said, before handing down a four-year and eight-month jail sentence.
Simpson was a "key facilitator" of the scheme, Justice van Bohemen said.
"You made it work," he said.
"You used your specialist knowledge as a lawyer to advise on structuring the laundering scheme across multiple trust accounts you set up.
"You knew what you were doing was dodgy."

Lawyer Andrew Simpson appears for sentencing at the Auckland High Court. Photo: RNZ / Jordan Bond

Justice van Bohemen outlined how Simpson told others involved how to deposit money without triggering the bank's anti-money laundering policies.
Simpson's lawyer, Guyon Foley, said his client was naive to the true origins of the money, and was a good, honest, family man.
He said Simpson believed the money was legitimate revenue from a concrete company.
"His suspicions did not crystalise at first... Regrettably, and ultimately culpably, he was too trusting," Foley said.
Simpson was not motivated by financial gain, receiving only $18,000, Foley said.
"He accepts he was wrong and asks for mercy."
Justice van Bohemen said Simpson knew there was some doubt over the money's origin.
"There is little doubt that you were at least naive and incredibly foolish to get involved in the scheme," Justice van Bohemen said.
"I am satisfied that your remorse is genuine, as is your commitment to rehabilitation," van Bohemen said, noting a large number of letters attesting to Simpson's ongoing good character.
"I deeply regret a father being separated from a young family, both in your case and Mr Daniels'. Sadly Mr Simpson, that is the consequence of your decisions," he said, before handing down a two-year nine-month imprisonment.
A number of others charged after the raids will go to trial in September.

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