In his first Stuff interview in January 2017, Albi Whale described how he was going to hand the running of his telco over to artificial intelligence.

It was meant to be a telecommunications provider with a difference, giving its profits to charities around the world.

But last Friday, the receiver was hung up on self-professed Christchurch technology entrepreneur Albi Whale and his Terrible Talk New Zealand.

The company is now in liquidation, with Brenton Hunt* of Insolvency Matters due to file the first liquidator's report on January 8.

JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF Christchurch tech entrepreneur Albi Whale claimed to be giving millions in profits from Terrible Talk to international charities.

According to the Companies Office website, Whale was the sole director and shareholder of the Tai Tapu-based Terrible Talk, holding all 1000 shares, allocated in three tranches of 998 shares, one share and one share.

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On its website, Whale's much-vaunted Terrible Talk said it supported climate change adaptation, internet freedom and the Time's Up movement against sexual harassment.

IAIN MCGREGOR/STUFF Albi Whale, the mastermind behind Terrible Talk, which is now in liquidation.

Charities were to be supported through the Terrible Foundation, the developer and controller of an artificial intelligence venture called "Zach". But while its financial reports showed it disbursed about $227,000 in grants in four years - $200,000 in the last year - it did not specify to whom that money was paid or for what.

"Significant contributions" promised for Oxfam never eventuated.

Whale and his father Dr David Whale, a trustee of the foundation, previously told Stuff that Terrible Talk had almost 6 million customers around the world. An analysis of the 13,000 likes on the Terrible Facebook page showed about 9000 were from Bangladesh and 3000 from Indonesia. Fewer than 100 were from New Zealand accounts.

Neither Whale nor his father could be reached on Monday for comment.

The Companies Office file shows Terrible Talk's last annual return was lodged on October 16, 2017.

On May 23 and 25 this year, seven documents were filed changing the particulars of shareholdings, director's details and the company's address.

In less than 40 minutes on the morning of May 25, shareholding details were amended four times - from "Mr Alberic Whale, Protector" and "Mr Alberic Whale, Trustee", to "Mr Alberic Whale", to "Alberic Whale" and finally to "Alberic Chetwin Whale".

Inconsistencies around the Terrible Foundation have been noted before. The foundation claimed earlier this year it had assets worth $450 million, yet in the previous three years said it had less than $1m in assets.

Another company in which Whale was a sole shareholder, Luminous Group, went into liquidation in May 2014, according to the Companies Office.

* Brenton Hunt was incorrectly called Brenton Wood in an earlier version of this story.