Matt Lauer might lose a New Zealand ranch he purchased with his wife, Annette Roque, in February for $9.2 million.
Lauer and Roque bought a large property called Hunter Valley Station on South Island, one of the two main islands that make up New Zealand. The New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Office confirmed to Reuters that it is now looking into Lauer’s background.
Videos by PopCulture.com
The office requires foreign investors to be “of good character.”
“The Overseas Investment Office is aware that allegations have been made in relation to Matt Lauer and that he is no longer working for NBC News in the USA,” Lisa Barrett, deputy chief executive of policy and overseas investment, said in a statement to Reuters. “We are discussing this with his representative and are seeking further information.”
As Barrett explained, part of the consent Lauer and Roque’s Orange Lakes Ltd. received to buy the ranch stated “that the individuals with control of that company must continue to be of good character.”
The deal was approved in February. According to Architectural Digest, local New Zealand media estimated that the ranch cost Lauer $9.2 million. The property covers 27,000 acres next to Mt. Aspriging National Park. As part of the deal, Lauer agreed to maintain the farm and support an annual cycling race.
Lauer gushed about New Zealand during a 2016 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, telling the host that “It is the most sensational country on the planet. It’s beautiful.”
Lauer was fired last week after a woman complained to NBC News about Lauer’s alleged sexual misconduct. Since then, other women have come forward. Lauer and his wife are also reportedly living apart.
Photo credit: Twitter / @kc8ysl
