A tribunal has ordered self-styled justice campaigner Scott Guthrie to repay a family thousands of dollars he charged them for supposedly voluntary work, and then failed to deliver on his promises.
The Northland family had a relative in jail and Guthrie claimed he could help. They believed his advocacy and advice was charitable, and therefore free, until he billed them for nearly $10,000.
In desperation the family paid, with one relative taking the money out of KiwiSaver, but they say they got nothing in return and Scott Guthrie demanded thousands more.
In September 2021 Checkpoint confronted Guthrie following the programme's own investigation. Initially he denied invoicing families for his services, but later acknowledged the invoices came from himself.
Since then, independent victim advocate Ruth Money stepped in to help the family. She took their case to the Disputes Tribunal and won.
Guthrie has been ordered to pay the family back $8682 before the end of August.
When Checkpoint contacted Guthrie to ask about the judgement, he made no comment and hung up.
Independent justice advocate Ruth Money told Checkpoint Guthrie preys on vulnerable people.
"The tribunal found it's kind of 'Whack-a-Mole' really," she said.
"Bankrupt businesses, unsuccessful businesses, a number of different trusts - he just keeps popping up and reinventing himself."
