Source: Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
Businessman Aaron Coupe:
- was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months for managing companies while prohibited under the Companies Act and concealing property worth more than $1.7 million from the Official Assignee.
- during his second bankruptcy, breached restrictions and took part in the management of businesses through actively managing several construction projects.
Jailed businessman Aaron Coupe was further sentenced at Auckland District Court on Friday 6 June 2025 to 3 years and 9 months for taking part in the management of businesses while bankrupt and concealing property worth more than $1.7 million from the Official Assignee.
Mr Coupe was jailed for 4 years and 5 months in January 2025 for managing companies while prohibited under the Companies Act and the latest sentencing will see him serve up to 8 years and 2 months in total.
During his second bankruptcy in 2022, Mr Coupe breached the restrictions imposed on him by taking part in the management of businesses through actively managing construction projects in Tuakau, Wiri and Auckland.
Under the alias ‘Aaron McGregor’, his birth name, Mr Coupe overtly sought out projects to manage and directed payments for these projects into an account under his mother’s name. Mr Coupe did not disclose an interest in this account to the Official Assignee.
In court, Judge Kathryn Maxwell said Mr Coupe’s “arrogance is incomprehensible”.
“We’re also dealing with a maximum penalty that is arguably inadequate,” Judge Maxwell said.
“You have barely taken a breath since you started offending in 2013.”
This is the most recent prosecution taken against Mr Coupe by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), following original charges that were laid in 2014 for offending that arose from his conduct during his first bankruptcy in 2010.
He was sentenced in 2016 to 12 months’ home detention, 200 hours’ community work, and $75,100.68 reparation. The convictions also meant he was banned from being a director of or involved in the management of a company for 5 years.
Despite his prohibition, and without seeking an exemption to the imposed prohibition from the Court, Mr Coupe took part in the management of 5 companies causing substantial financial losses and significant emotional distress to his business partners, stakeholders, and creditors.
Business Registries Investigations and Compliance Team Manager Vanessa Cook says it was important that Mr Coupe was held to account for his ongoing offending.
“The sentence reflects the harm that Mr Coupe caused through his failure to comply with conditions imposed on him, not only by being adjudicated bankrupt, but also by the Court,” Ms Cook says.
“By intentionally evading the measures that were put in place to protect the public, Mr Coupe was able to deceive people into engaging in business with him, enabling him to conceal $1.7 million that could have been paid to his creditors.
“It’s important that responsibility is accepted by those whose behaviour causes significant harm to the community and MBIE would like to thank all the witnesses who came forward to assist in ensuring that Mr Coupe’s unscrupulous behaviour was stopped.”
Prohibited directors can be found by searching on the Companies register:
Searching the Companies Register(external link) – New Zealand Companies Office
Individuals who are currently adjudicated bankrupt can found by searching on the insolvency register:
Search the insolvency register(external link) – New Zealand Insolvency and Trustee
