An Auckland real estate agency is facing scrutiny after Stuff reported its founder has pleaded guilty to historical fraud charges, while a recently promoted associate has been linked to a former Australian agent with a violent criminal history.
Reporting by Stuff journalist Catrin Owen, published on 18 October 2026, raises questions about Silo Real Estate’s promotional material, the roles of people associated with the business and an investigation by the Real Estate Authority.
Silo’s leadership has defended the company’s integrity. Its founder says his historical offending is unrelated to the agency, while the regulator has not publicly announced an outcome to its investigation.
SILO FOUNDER AWAITS SENTENCING
According to Stuff, Silo founder Connor Armstrong, also known as Connor Ryan and Connor Craigie, has pleaded guilty to fraud charges and is awaiting sentencing later this year.
Armstrong told Stuff the proceedings concern historical offending before his time in Australia. He said he had made significant changes to his life and regretted his past wrongdoing.
He maintained that the offending had nothing to do with Silo.
Julie Gielen, identified in Stuff’s report as the company’s current director, said Armstrong had stepped back from management and resigned as a director because of the proceedings.
The distinction is important: the historical criminal case involving Armstrong and the regulatory inquiry involving Silo are separate matters.
PROMOTIONAL CLAIMS COME UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
Stuff reported that September promotional flyers described Armstrong as Silo’s owner and director, referred to a Forbes nomination and claimed career sales exceeding $1 billion.
However, the publication reported that Armstrong does not hold a New Zealand real estate licence.
Asked about the Forbes reference, Armstrong told Stuff he had been nominated for consideration for its “30 Under 30” list but had chosen not to proceed. That is different from being selected for the published list.
He said the career sales figure reflected work across commercial, residential and project sales.
Those statements were explanations supplied to Stuff, rather than independently established endorsements of the promotional claims.
Armstrong also told the publication he had never described himself as an agent or salesperson.
WEBSITE PROFILE AND SIGNAGE REMOVED
According to Stuff, Armstrong’s website profile was removed on 9 October. A promotional board carrying his photograph was also taken down, and flyers were amended.
Armstrong told Stuff the profile had remained online because of his association with the Australian business. He acknowledged that it should have been removed earlier to avoid confusion about his New Zealand role.
The reporting highlights an important distinction for consumers: a business title, qualification or overseas career history does not, by itself, establish someone’s current New Zealand licensing status.
Property Noise has previously covered the regulator’s concerns in Real Estate Authority issues warning over unlicensed agency work.
That earlier coverage provides general industry context. It does not establish that any particular activity at Silo has been found unlawful.
QUESTIONS OVER HARRISON WHYTE’S ASSOCIATION WITH SILO
Stuff also examined Silo’s announcement that Harrison Whyte had joined the business.
The publication reported that Whyte is also known as Karl Adon Howard, the former principal of Ray White Balmain in Sydney.
According to the account published by Stuff, Howard received an intensive corrections order following a 2021 samurai sword attack on a woman. He was subsequently sentenced to imprisonment over assaults on four people in a Bunnings car park.
Property Noise previously reported on Karl Howard’s arrest and the initial allegations in 2021. That archive article reflects the case at that earlier stage, rather than its eventual outcome.
Stuff reported that Silo initially presented Whyte as an associate, with his website role later described as providing executive and administrative support.
When contacted by Stuff, Whyte declined to answer questions about his identity or Australian history and said he was not involved with the business.
His profile and references to him were subsequently removed, according to the report.
Armstrong told Stuff he was not involved in company hiring decisions. Gielen did not directly answer the publication’s questions about the hiring process.
REA INVESTIGATION: NO PUBLIC OUTCOME ANNOUNCED
The Real Estate Authority confirmed to Stuff that it was investigating Silo Real Estate, but declined to discuss the details.
Armstrong told the publication he understood the investigative stage had concluded and anticipated a warning. He also acknowledged that a formal outcome had not been issued.
His expectation of a warning is not a confirmed REA decision. The regulator’s reported response did not establish either the outcome or any sanction.
Similarly, an investigation should not be presented as a finding of misconduct.
SILO DEFENDS ITS OPERATIONS
In a statement issued through lawyer Steven Lack, Gielen told Stuff that Silo operated with integrity and would comply with the rules and regulations applying to the business.
She pointed to her experience in real estate, saying she first obtained a licence in 2008 and had worked with established agencies.
Armstrong, meanwhile, described his offending as historical and said he had worked to turn his life around.
Those responses form a central part of the story alongside the concerns raised about advertising, licensing and the agency’s personnel.
WHAT HOMEOWNERS SHOULD CHECK
For anyone choosing a real estate representative, the reporting is a reminder to establish who will actually handle the sale and what their role involves.
Useful questions include:
- Who is the licensed person responsible for the transaction?
- What role will each team member perform?
- Can advertised sales records and professional distinctions be explained and substantiated?
- Who handles supervision and complaints within the agency?
Property Noise has also explored the standards considered when granting a real estate licence, including the importance of public confidence in licensing decisions.
For Silo, the next developments will be the regulator’s formal response and the outcome of Armstrong’s sentencing. Until then, the reported guilty pleas, the company’s explanations and the unresolved regulatory process need to be understood separately.
Source acknowledgement: This article summarises reporting by Catrin Owen for Stuff, published on 18 October 2026. Statements and responses attributed to Stuff were obtained by that publication. Property Noise has not independently verified the court file, current licensing records or reported identity connection.