Real estate businessman Aaron Coupe jailed for breaching business ban, causing $8m in losses

A real estate businessman with a history of offending has been sentenced to prison time after taking part in the management of five companies despite a ban from being involved directly or indirectly with a business. Aaron Coupe was sentenced to four years and five months of imprisonment by the Auckland District Court in January for two charges under the Companies Act 1993. Coupe had initially appealed a decision to try and maintain permanent name suppression, however, this appeal was abandoned on March 13, 2025.

Judge Nevin Dawson noted that the gravity of Coupe’s offences and his degree of culpability were “very high”..