Prime Minister Helen Clark and her deputy Jim Anderton are the subject of a high level police investigation.
ONE News has confirmed a top level police inquiry has been launched into the sale of charity art works signed by Clark and Anderton - but not created by them.
The Police Commissioner's Office has confirmed an investigation is under way into the complaint against the Prime Minister over her signing artwork that was not created by her.
The complaint was laid in Wellington in relation to artwork auctioned for charity but a spokesman for the Commission gave no further details and would not reveal who made the complaint.
A doodle of the Beehive signed by Clark, and a sketch of a cricket match signed by Anderton, were sold a year ago to raise money for a gymnasium for an inner Auckland school.
Police have begun interviewing people involved in the Ponsonby Primary School auction.
Principal Anne Malcolm says the police visited her school and asked questions about a sketch signed by Clark which sold for $1,300.
But she says neither the school nor the parents who bought the sketch have laid any complaint.
The inquiry is also expected to cover the painting sold for $1,000 to raise money for an animal welfare charity which Clark has admitted she signed but did not paint.
Clark said she signed another person's artwork after being asked to contribute a painting for an animal welfare charity in 1999 while she was leader of the opposition.
The painting was sold at the charity auction for $1,000, and subsequently resold by the purchaser for $5,000.
Clark, who has apologised for the deception and reimbursed the purchaser, is currently in Indonesia and was not available for comment, but a spokesman for her office said they knew nothing about the investigation.
Under New Zealand law, fraud and other related offences carry penalties of up to 10 years in jail, but lawyers have said if the matter ever came to court Clark would likely be let off with a warning as she did not try to personally profit from the deception.
The investigation is being carried out by Detective SuperIntendent Malcolm Burgess.
He is one of three regional detective superintendents who reports directly to the deputy commissioner in charge of operations.
The investigation is expected to take several weeks to complete.
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