Hana Fisherova, formerly of the Czech Republic, was behind a project to build an eco-friendly tourist village in Clyde.
Ms Fisherova, also known as Hana Demeterova, was involved in the Happy Hills project that aimed to crowd-fund a therapeutic centre and sustainable farm development on 1142ha in the Cairnmuir Mountains, overlooking Lake Dunstan.
But some claim they have been left owing money by Ms Fisherova, and others allege she has been behind similar ventures overseas which have turned sour.
When asked about a Russian media report about a similar venture, a "schools in nature" project, Ms Fisherova said it was untrue.
"These newspapers are under the control of Russian secret services, FSB. They fabricated the article full of lies, but it is normal in Russia," she said.
Nigel Murray, of Clyde, said he was owed several thousand dollars by Ms Fisherova over the Happy Hills project.
Mr Murray was introduced to Ms Fisherova by a friend in the construction industry in 2018, who said she was looking for someone to be project co-ordinator for the scheme.
As Mr Murray got more involved, the project seemed more of an "idea" than anything concrete, and although some of his invoices were paid it became more difficult to get money from Ms Fisherova, he said.
Mr Murray said he had not laid an official complaint because he had absorbed the losses, but he was concerned other people might be more vulnerable.
Ms Fisherova denied any money was outstanding on the project, and disputed the amounts Mr Murray had invoiced.
She said she paid for all the expenses for the project including rent, food and travel.
"In two months I paid him more than $10,000," she said.
A Sydney woman who alleges Ms Fisherova left owing her about $A132,000 ($NZ141,000) said she was speaking to Australian police; she knew her as Hana Demeterova and believed Fisherova was a pseudonym.
Rozalia Alpert, who founded a charity,
first met Ms Fisherova about 2009, when Ms Fisherova was a "humanitarian worker".
They began as friends, but now she believed she had been a victim of Ms Fisherova.
"She was asking for more and more money and tricked me into paying her under a false pretext."
Ms Fisherova said when Ms Alpert paid money into her account in the details she wrote "for humanitarian purposes".
"When she was sending me money she was writing ‘for humanitarian help’, like for me personally, various things."
She had a loan agreement with Ms Alpert for €66,000 (about $NZ115,000), but said she had been unable to pay any of it because she was not working and had been receiving payments from Work and Income since August last year.
"We didn’t specify that I had to pay immediately... but in the future I will be able to pay."
She said she was in New Zealand on a work refugee visa and was seeking political asylum.
Her visa was due to expire next month.
