The Green Party has confirmed it is aware of the allegations and that the 43-year-old “will stand aside from all portfolio responsibilities until the matter is resolved”.
According to sources, Ghahraman is understood to have been accused of shoplifting during the festive season from exclusive clothing store Scottie’s Boutique in the electorate of fellow Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick.
The store in the upmarket suburb of Ponsonby declined to provide specific details when contacted by ZB Plus, but confirmed the alleged incident was being handled by police.
In a statement, a Green Party spokesperson said the party was “aware of allegations regarding MP Golriz Ghahraman” and was in contact with Scotties Boutique to “better understand and address the situation”.
“Green MPs are expected to maintain high standards of public behaviour,” they said.
Ghahraman’s portfolios for the Greens included justice, foreign affairs, defence, ethnic communities and trade.
ZB Plus has approached Ghahraman for comment.
Ghahraman made New Zealand history as the first refugee to be sworn in as an MP, having arrived in Aotearoa as a child asylum-seeker with her family from Iran.
She was selected as a list candidate in January 2017 and in last year's general election was ranked at No 7 for the Greens.
Recently, she has been outspoken on the conflict between Israel and Gaza, considering it “ethnic cleansing”, and called on world leaders to stand against Israel’s military actions she has described as “crimes against humanity”.
In 2020, Ghahraman revealed she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
She said at the time she had a “responsibility” to start an honest conversation about the autoimmune disease.
Ghahraman said she first learned about her diagnosis two years prior after she began to lose sight in one eye.
She described being on “hardcore medication” and had to visit a hospital every six months.
