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Shocking detail in Melissa Caddick’s seemingly innocent dog photo

A cute photo of Melissa Caddick’s pet dog has left her victims reeling after it allegedly revealed the Sydney fraudster was reaping $46,000 each day in May, 2020.

In the image, sent to one of Ms Caddick’s clients six months before she disappeared, the brown and white cocker spaniel named Peter Pan can be seen resting on her arm while she sits at her computer desk.

In the background a piece of paper can be seen with the words ‘average profit - $46k per day’.

Melissa Caddick's dog (left) and note paper (right) revealing how much profit Melissa Caddick made in May 2020.
A photo of Melissa Caddick's dog has given away just how much the alleged Sydney conwoman was making off her clients. Source: Nine Newspapers

It wasn’t until the alleged conwoman vanished that the photo recipient zoomed in on the picture for clues, according to Sydney Morning Herald journalist Kate McClymont, who made the staggering revelation in her podcast Liar Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions.

The podcast determined that based on the note Ms Caddick would have made about $1.4 million in May alone that year.

McClymont said that seems accurate as ASIC investigators alleged that in the year leading up to her disappearance in November, 2020 the businesswoman "raked in $7.8million" over 12 months.

The recipient of the photo was a long-time employee who was also a client.

The photo was sent on May 27, 2020, just six months before her crimes were exposed. The employee, who told the podcast she wished to be known as only as Nicole, had been working one day a week to help with admin.

“She [Caddick] is the con artist of the century, I was dry retching when I found out, I just couldn't believe she would do this to us.”

One year on since human remains were found

Ms Caddick, a mother of one, is believed to be dead after her badly-decomposed foot washed up on the NSW South Coast in February last year.

A group of campers at Bournda Beach made the gruesome find after picking up what they thought was a lost running shoe.

By that point, the 49 year old hadn’t been seen since November 12, 2020, a day after the corporate regulator raided her luxury Dover Heights home in Sydney’s east.

The remainder of Ms Caddick’s body has never been found.

Melissa Caddick's foot (left) which was found on a beach on the NSW South coast, and Ms Caddick and her dog (right). Source: 7NEWS/AAP
Melissa Caddick's foot was found inside a shoe on a beach on the NSW South Coast. Source: 7NEWS/AAP

Faking documents and running a Ponzi scheme

The Federal Court claims Ms Caddick had been providing unlicensed financial advice for seven years before she disappeared, and pocketed more than $30 million in that time from 72 investors.

Most of these were family and friends, including Ms Caddick’s own parents who handed their daughter $1.03 million, with the expectation that Ms Caddick would invest their money on their behalf.

Instead, she spent their funds on her own lavish lifestyle, with real estate, cars, jewellery and shares among her purchases.

At the end of last year, the court found that neither Ms Caddick or her company, Maliver, ever held an Australian Financial Services Licence.

Melissa Caddick and her husband, Anthony Koletti. Source: 7NEWS
Melissa Caddick's husband reported his wife missing in November 2020. Source: 7NEWS

Melissa Caddick's family left behind

Almost 40 criminal charges against Ms Caddick have been dropped to enable civil proceedings to go ahead, while the Australian Securities and Investments Commission holds the right to reinstate the charges at a later date.

Since then, liquidators and receivers pursuing justice for investors have moved to seize the family assets including the Dover Heights home.

While so much remains uncertain about her disappearance, Ms Caddick’s husband, teenage son and elderly parents will continue to look for answers.

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