The Serious Fraud Office has executed search warrants as part of an investigation concerning Thomas Alexander Tuira, Aroha Awhinanui Tuira and their companies Ngākau Aroha Investments Limited and Power to Me Aotearoa Tapui Limited. 

The agency is seeking information from the public that may be relevant to the investigation. 

Companies Office records show the companies are located in Burwood, Christchurch. 

One of the companies involved ran self-help service Power to Me. 

Archived websites for Power to Me describe the operation as founded and run by Alex Tuira that provided "successful strategies for personal empowerment and financial literacy" including in Christchurch school Te Pā Ō Rākaihautū. 

Alex Tuira, described as a "business and personal finance strategies," listed a range of self-help programs as his primary qualifications including courses by Tony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki and Jordan Belfort. 

A brief statement issued this morning said no further comment will be made by the SFO while the investigation is underway. 

The SFO operates under two sets of investigative powers. 

Part 1 of the SFO Act provides that it may act where the director "has reason to suspect that an investigation into the affairs of any person may disclose serious or complex fraud". 

Part 2 of the SFO Act provides the SFO with more extensive powers where: "... the director has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence involving serious or complex fraud may have been committed ..." 

- More to come