Liberty Consulting Group denies claims of job-selling scheme: reports

Liberty Consulting Group has denied accusations from a former employee who claims he was offered a fake job to secure New Zealand residency in exchange for $70,000, according to reports.

Richard Wu, who arrived from Singapore in May 2024 on a work visa, says he was instructed to make payments to immigration adviser Heidi Castelucci to secure a job at Liberty and ultimately gain residency, Radio New Zealand reported.

Wu had already paid $18,000 to Castelucci for arranging a five-year Accredited Employer Work Visa and a position at the Auckland-based consultancy, which he thought was legitimate.

However, after losing his job two months later, he recorded conversations with Castelucci that allegedly revealed a scheme to secure residency through fraudulent means.

In one of the recordings, Castelucci is said to be heard discussing her husband's proposal: "So Toby's idea is that if you need residency sponsorship, we can help you with that all at once... he asked me to call you and ask you, don't you want us to sponsor your residency directly?"

The conversation allegedly suggests that Wu would be required to pay a total of $110,000 for the job, which would include Liberty Consulting Group's tax costs and other expenses.

Castelucci also apparently outlined a plan where the price could be reduced to $70,000 if Wu covered the company’s tax costs himself and arranged an under-the-table job to make up for the salary.

"Five instalments over two years," Castelucci allegedly said in the recording. "With a high salary, once submitted, it'll be approved, no other issues."

Liberty denies accusations

In response to the claims, Toby Castelucci, sole director and shareholder of Liberty Consulting Group, firmly denied the allegations.

"It [Liberty] did not offer Mr Wu any position after his employment ended, or to help him find a position with a different employer, in exchange for payment," he said as quoted by Radio New Zealand.

"It also did not receive any payment from Mr. Wu after his employment was terminated. Any such offer purportedly made to him was made without Liberty Consulting's knowledge or consent."

The case came to light after Wu filed a formal complaint with the Employment Relations Authority, seeking legal advice and documenting his interactions with Castelucci. Wu claims that, after his termination, Castelucci suggested he pay the additional funds to secure his visa and continue his stay in New Zealand.

In a further exchange, Castelucci told Wu that she could not provide any written agreement regarding the deal, explaining it as a "gentleman's verbal agreement."

"We cannot give you any agreement, we cannot provide any written documentation," she said.

Castelucci also denies job-selling

Heidi Castelucci, who holds a provisional licence as an immigration adviser, declined to comment further, telling RNZ: "If Mr. Wu has particular concerns about my conduct as a Licensed Immigration Adviser, those are appropriately referred to the Immigration Advisers Authority for consideration. It would not be appropriate for me to comment until that process is completed."

Employment advocate May Moncur, who is representing Wu, believes the evidence could point to a broader issue affecting many migrants. She stressed the importance of addressing ongoing scams despite previous reviews of Immigration New Zealand's (INZ) procedures.

"We are extremely concerned about any reports of migrants paying for job offers, and strongly encourage anyone who finds themselves in this situation to contact us as soon as possible to discuss their circumstances," said Jason Perry, INZ's investigations manager, as quoted by RNZ.

Meanwhile, Wu has since left New Zealand, taking legal action to recover the money he paid for what he claims was a fraudulent scheme. His allegations have been passed to the police, and he has filed a complaint with the Immigration Advisers Authority, which is investigating the matter.

The Immigration Advisers Authority clarified that while immigration advisers can charge a fee for their services, prospective employees should never be asked to pay an employer to secure a job.