Three weeks after being paroled, 62-year-old Charles Score Sanders was at Careys Bay on Tuesday following the sinking of a boat, known as Sandra Kay, in which it is understood he has an interest.
It is unknown what caused the 60-tonne vessel to capsize, ending up partially submerged on its side in Otago Harbour.
Police are not investigating the incident.
Sanders - whose social media account features pictures of the vessel - was jailed for nearly four and a-half years in June 2021 for kidnapping, possessing a firearm and assault with a weapon.
In November 2019, the Road Knights gang member offered to give a woman a ride to pick up her prescription, Stuff reported.
Instead of taking the victim to Timaru as Sanders had agreed, a police summary described how he drove to his farm in Pareora River Rd.
Stuff reported the defendant initially demanded the woman get inside a wheelie bin before he and another man bound her from her waist to shoulders in plastic wrap.
The incident reportedly continued for 12 hours during which Sanders held a pistol to her head and his own.
He believed someone had taken $65,000 from him while he was remanded in custody and had been smoking methamphetamine at the time, Parole Board panel convener Mary More noted.
Sanders had an "extensive" criminal history featuring violence, firearms and drugs.
He made headlines in 2005 when he returned from the UK after eight years on the run while he faced drug charges relating to the South Island’s first clandestine amphetamine laboratory.
Sanders told the jury a covertly recorded conversation purportedly about drugs was actually him swapping tips on dishwashers - and he was later acquitted.
The Parole Board last month raised concerns about Sanders’ engagement in a rehabilitation course while behind bars and his willingness to accept responsibility for his crimes.
However, he reassured the panel members.
"Mr Sanders does not basically understand why he committed the index offending but he is very strong in his assertion that it was very wrong and confident it will not happen again," Ms More said.
He was paroled with six months remaining on his sentence.
Otago Regional Council deputy harbourmaster Pete Dryden said staff had extracted 3300 litres of oily water from Careys Bay, where Sandra Kay capsized, and there was no indication wildlife had been adversely affected .
Plans were being put in place by the private owner of the vessel for its salvage and removal, he said.
The council could not comment further on details around that operation, but would monitor the situation.
Parole conditions
• To live at Dunedin address
• To abide by 10pm-6am curfew for three months
• To submit to electronic monitoring
• Not to enter South Canterbury
• To attend any assessments and treatment as directed by Probation
• Not to possess alcohol or non-prescription drugs
• Not to contact co-offenders or victims
