Melissa Caddick inquest enters final days

The inquest into Sydney fraudster Melissa Caddick’s disappearance is entering its final days.

Caddick defrauded family and friends of between $20 million-$30 million in a Ponzi scheme before vanishing hours after authorities raided her home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

A 10-day inquest was established in September to investigate the circumstances leading to the 49-year-old’s disappearance in November 2020 and her mindset at the time.

The inquest has heard from a number of key witnesses including her husband Anthony Koletti, police officers and psychologists.

Mr Koletti told the inquest in September he held the corporate watchdog ASIC responsible for his wife’s suspected death. 

“I believe she died as a direct result of ASIC’s negligence, cruelty and inhumanity,” Mr Koletti said during his statement to the inquest.

He later accepted his wife was a fraudster after “paying attention to the court proceedings”.

Expert evidence found Caddick suffered from narcissistic personality disorder, and the shame and humiliation suffered from being exposed could have caused intense psychological distress, and potentially caused her to take her own life.

Some of the conwoman’s uncontested assets have recently gone under the hammer as receivers look to claw back missing funds.

Four pieces of artwork went to auction on Tuesday, netting $48,000.

Her Dover Heights mansion was bought in October for an undisclosed price, but receivers had hoped to net at least $10 million.

Caddick’s impressive haul of jewellery, luxury goods, and designer clothing are set to go to auction on December 5 and 7.

The self-styled financial advisor was last seen at her home in November 2020 as ASIC and federal police investigating her conduct executed a search warrant of her residence.

In February 2021, her decomposing foot encased in a shoe washed ashore at Bournda Beach on the NSW south coast.

The final two days of the inquest will resume in Sydney’s Downing Centre on Monday.

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