PHUKET: A New Zealand man arrested over drugs on Phuket is wanted in his home country for alleged fraud under another name, according to the New Zealand Herald.
He appears to be a clever credit card conman - exposed by a Phuketwan reader.
The Phuket case raises the issue of whether more people who face serious allegations could be changing their names via deed poll to flee to Thailand and other countries.
Using the name Taylor Grainger, the Kiwi was arrested last week after Patong police allegedly caught the 41-year-old with 1.2g of methamphetamine and 0.95g of cocaine.
New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said there had been confusion over his name, which is actually Grainge Taylor.
A Phuketwan reader alerted the editor to the possibility the man had another identity and NZ Herald inquiries showed Taylor was originally known in New Zealand as Grainge Marriott Madgwick.
He took what is believed to be his wife's surname after police began investigating allegations of credit card fraud against him in 2010, the Herald reported.
Births, Deaths and Marriages officials in NZ have since confirmed Madgwick changed his name on December 13, 2010, to Grainge Taylor.
The Herald understands that Madgwick left the country the following month under his new name, before a warrant was issued for his arrest in August 2012.
''The warrant was issued due to Mr Madgwick failing to appear on a number of fraud-related charges,'' said a police spokesman, who confirmed the warrant was still active.
The revelations follow the case in New Zealand of convicted murderer and child abuser Phillip John Smith, who fled to Brazil while on temporary release from Springhill prison using a passport he obtained under his birth name.
Madgwick was alleged to have spent more than $100,000 using credit card accounts belonging to up to 10 other people - including family members - sparking an overhaul of a bank's online application process back in 2010.
Investigators stated Madgwick used the details of others to get credit cards and applied for them online.
He was listed on credit card application forms as an ''additional cardholder'' and under bank rules at the time, any spending was charged to the primary card holder.
Among those who were stung by Madgwick's alleged con was a man he met at an Auckland bar.
The man, who became friends with Madgwick and drank regularly with him, said he was "astounded" when a collection agency called and demanded $22,000 for debt on a bank's credit card.
The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said Madgwick spent the money during a two-month splurge in 2009. He bought groceries, liquor at bars and at wholesalers and made many cash advances.
The man recognised Madgwick when he saw his picture in Phuketwan on Boxing Day and emailed the editor.
New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Madgwick's family were receiving consular assistance.
Madgwick was being held in Phuket Prison today, jail officials confirmed. He has denied selling drugs and says he kept them for personal use only.
It's likely an extradition order will be sought by New Zealand officials.
The comment on an earlier article from the Phuketwan reader, passed on to Phuket police and the New Zealand Herald, read: ''Let the cops know his real name is Grainge Madgwick (spelling) from Taranaki.''
He appears to be a clever credit card conman - exposed by a Phuketwan reader.
The Phuket case raises the issue of whether more people who face serious allegations could be changing their names via deed poll to flee to Thailand and other countries.
Using the name Taylor Grainger, the Kiwi was arrested last week after Patong police allegedly caught the 41-year-old with 1.2g of methamphetamine and 0.95g of cocaine.
New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said there had been confusion over his name, which is actually Grainge Taylor.
A Phuketwan reader alerted the editor to the possibility the man had another identity and NZ Herald inquiries showed Taylor was originally known in New Zealand as Grainge Marriott Madgwick.
He took what is believed to be his wife's surname after police began investigating allegations of credit card fraud against him in 2010, the Herald reported.
Births, Deaths and Marriages officials in NZ have since confirmed Madgwick changed his name on December 13, 2010, to Grainge Taylor.
The Herald understands that Madgwick left the country the following month under his new name, before a warrant was issued for his arrest in August 2012.
''The warrant was issued due to Mr Madgwick failing to appear on a number of fraud-related charges,'' said a police spokesman, who confirmed the warrant was still active.
The revelations follow the case in New Zealand of convicted murderer and child abuser Phillip John Smith, who fled to Brazil while on temporary release from Springhill prison using a passport he obtained under his birth name.
Madgwick was alleged to have spent more than $100,000 using credit card accounts belonging to up to 10 other people - including family members - sparking an overhaul of a bank's online application process back in 2010.
Investigators stated Madgwick used the details of others to get credit cards and applied for them online.
He was listed on credit card application forms as an ''additional cardholder'' and under bank rules at the time, any spending was charged to the primary card holder.
Among those who were stung by Madgwick's alleged con was a man he met at an Auckland bar.
The man, who became friends with Madgwick and drank regularly with him, said he was "astounded" when a collection agency called and demanded $22,000 for debt on a bank's credit card.
The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said Madgwick spent the money during a two-month splurge in 2009. He bought groceries, liquor at bars and at wholesalers and made many cash advances.
The man recognised Madgwick when he saw his picture in Phuketwan on Boxing Day and emailed the editor.
New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Madgwick's family were receiving consular assistance.
Madgwick was being held in Phuket Prison today, jail officials confirmed. He has denied selling drugs and says he kept them for personal use only.
It's likely an extradition order will be sought by New Zealand officials.
The comment on an earlier article from the Phuketwan reader, passed on to Phuket police and the New Zealand Herald, read: ''Let the cops know his real name is Grainge Madgwick (spelling) from Taranaki.''
Does this mean all countries need to operate a better identification scheme using Fingerprint scanners or Retina scanners so people can't avoid the system?
If so, should then everybody have their details and personal identification flaunted for all "officials" in the world to know if to let people into their country or refuse them at the border.
The quandary of problems both moral, immoral and security dangers.
Posted by Tbs on December 30, 2014 10:23
Editor Comment:
One of today's stories is that it's now possible to ''borrow'' fingerprints with a camera.