Fresh twist in case of Melissa Caddick as more charges laid

Missing Sydney alleged conwoman Melissa Caddick has been hit with dozens of new charges despite police believing she’s dead.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) filed 38 charges against Ms Caddick in a Sydney court on Friday, The Australian reports.

Charges listed by the outlet include 19 counts of falsely claiming to have a financial services licence, 18 counts of dishonest conduct in relation to financial products and services, and one count of “not holding Australian financial services licence when required”.

Ms Caddick is accused of misappropriating millions of dollars of investors' funds. There are 29 individuals and investment companies listed as victims of her alleged fraud.

“A large number of additional and, unsurprisingly, distressed consumers who claim to have invested with the defendants have contacted ASIC and provided further information and documents to ASIC regarding their investments which show that they have invested approximately $13.1m with the defendants,” documents previously filed at the Federal Court read.

One new charge alleges Ms Caddick used the funds “for her own personal benefit” and deceived clients by providing them with “false documents”.

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The 49-year-old has not been seen since vanishing two days after the corporate watchdog and federal police raided her lavish $7 million Dover Heights home in November last year.

The new charges uncovered Ms Caddick’s alleged fraud began as early as November, 2012 and continued until shortly before the raid.

In February, campers on the NSW south coast discovered a decomposed foot in a running shoe on a beach about 400kms south of Sydney, which was later identified to be Ms Caddick’s.

NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller told 2GB radio despite the many conspiracy theories circulating about the fate of Ms Caddick, he was satisfied she was dead.

"There's always a chance she cut her foot off and is still alive but that's pretty fanciful but nevertheless we haven't closed this case," he told the radio station earlier this month.

The commissioner said police were still investigating and hoped to provide some justice to those aggrieved.

"We feel sorry for them but we are still looking at trying to recover funds and that investigation continues," he said.

Other bones and remains found on surrounding beaches did not belong to Ms Caddick.

An ASIC lawyer wrote it was unable to serve a court attendance notice on the defendant.

“It is not for ASIC to determine if, or speculate on whether, Ms Caddick is alive," an ASIC spokeswoman told The Australian.

“That is a matter for the NSW Police and — should it come to that — a coroner.”

with AAP

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