Department of Internal Affairs issues public AML warnings to six law firms, a real estate agency, a non-bank non-deposit-taking lender, an accounting service provider and a payment provider over failing to complete required independent audits

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has issued public formal warnings to 10 reporting entities for failing to complete required independent audits.

The warned entities are six law firms, a real estate agency, a non-bank non-deposit-taking lender, an accounting service provider and a payment provider.

DIA Anti-money Laudnering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) acting director Laura Olsen says this is the first time the DIA has issued “multiple coordinated formal warnings” for audit failings.

“Today’s action signals a clear expectation that reporting entities must comply with their legal obligations. These exist to protect us from financial crime, by helping us spot gaps in the system that could allow dirty money to slip through,” she says.

The formal warnings were issued to the following reporting entities:

• Singhs Lawyers – Law firm
• Robertsons Associates Limited – Law firm
• Mangere Law Limited – Law firm
• Flexi Online New Zealand Limited – Payment provider
• Countryman Realty Limited – Real estate agency
• Cook North & Wong Limited – Accounting service provider
• Castleview Law Limited – Law firm
• Wilton Finance Limited – Non-bank non-deposit taking lender
• FC Law Partners – Law firm
• Woodroffe Lawyers – Law firm

The DIA says each of these reporting entities failed to undertake an independent audit of its AML/CFT programme and risk assessment on at least two occasions, as required under the AML/CFT Act.

Under the Act, reporting entities are required to complete an independent audit of their risk assessment and AML/CFT programme at least every three years. 

The independent audit breaches were detected as part of the DIA’s 2026 thematic review.

“This isn’t compliance for compliance’s sake. Independent audits help us check whether a reporting entity’s AML/CFT programme actually works, identify gaps, and ensures compliance isn’t just paper‑based,” Olsen says.

“Many crimes tied to money laundering harm ordinary people. Strong AML/CFT controls reduce these risks.”

Currently the DIA is one of three New Zealand AML/CFT Act supervisors alongside the Reserve Bank (RBNZ) and Financial Markets Authority (FMA). However, from July 1, it'll become the sole AML/CFT Act supervisor, taking over the RBNZ's and FMA's roles.