Missing businesswoman Melissa Caddick’s bank accounts contain less than $6000, court hears
Melissa Caddick vanished in November 2020 after the corporate regulator raided her Sydney home. Photo: NSW Police
Bank accounts in the name of missing Sydney businesswoman Melissa Caddick contain only $5600, a court has heard.
Provisional liquidators and receivers have now provided reports on the 49-year-old’s assets to the Federal Court of Australia, after she went missing in November.
Her disappearance came soon after the corporate watchdog, ASIC, raided Ms Caddick’s Dover Heights home over allegations her financial services firm, Maliver, was operating without a licence.
Investors are now attempting to recoup the millions they handed over to Ms Caddick.
ASIC’s barrister Stephanie Fendekian on Monday day told the Federal Court the asset reports were “hundreds of pages long”.
“It’s clear from the reports that, on any view of it, there will be a significant shortfall between the amount of investor claims and the assets of the defendants,” she said.
“The receivers have indicated that as at 15 February, 2021, there was approximately $5600 of cash in bank accounts held in Ms Caddick’s name.”
The majority of Ms Caddick’s assets are in her name, rather than Maliver, and include real estate, shares and luxury goods, Ms Fendekian said.
Most clients invested with Maliver and a small number invested with Ms Caddick directly, Ms Fendekian said.
She told the court ASIC had “examined” Ms Caddick’s husband, Anthony Koletti, and her brother Adam Grimley under the ASIC Act.
Melissa Caddick hasn’t been seen since leaving her Dover Heights home on November 12. Photo: ABC News
The watchdog has also undertaken voluntary interviews with investors, reviewed documents seized during the November raid and begun taking statements from witnesses.
Ms Caddick and Maliver are no longer legally represented for the Federal Court proceedings.
In December, the court heard investors had handed over “approximately $13.1 million” to Ms Caddick.
Court documents have shown more than $20 million was withdrawn into Ms Caddick’s direct investment account over nearly three years.
A NSW Police missing persons investigation is continuing alongside ASIC’s own inquiries.
Commissioner Mick Fuller has said publicly he believes the 49-year-old is still alive.
Mr Koletti has previously made a public plea for help finding his wife.
The case will return to court in April for a two-day hearing.
-ABC
