Melissa caddick inquest anthony koletti to return for another day of evidence 20220930 p5yl2w.html – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Melissa Caddick's husband Anthony Koletti accepts wife was a fraudster

Greta Stonehouse and AAP

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Melissa Caddick's husband has told her inquest he accepts his wife was a fraudster but still holds the corporate watchdog responsible for her death due to their "cruelty".

Anthony Koletti returned to the NSW Coroners Court on Friday for a fourth day of evidence.

He was taken to a statement he wrote to the court on July 2021 about the Australian Securities and Investments Commission's search warrant.

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"I believe she died as a direct result of ASIC's negligence, cruelty and inhumanity," Koletti wrote.

"Is that something you still say on your oath today?" Dean Jordan SC on behalf of ASIC asked.

"Yes," Koletti said. 

"I suggest your maintenance of that assertion demonstrates your complete loss of objective perspective in relation to ASIC," Jordan, said, adding it also showed he had "completely lost the plot".

"No," Koletti said.

However, he did accept the search warrant was justified at the time.

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Anthony Koletti returned to give evidence at the Melissa Caddick inquest today. Dean Sewell

For years Koletti believed his wife was a "straight shooter," a competent and highly organised financial adviser. 

But he now accepted the fact she was pretending to be honest and diligent while stealing millions from her family and friends. 

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"You now accept you too were deceived by Ms Caddick?" Jordan said.

"Yes," Koletti said. 

"How did you eventually come to understand Ms Caddick was a fraudster?" Jordan asked.

"By paying attention to the court proceedings and listening to Her Honour," Koletti said.

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Koletti has admitted to an inquest that his wife was a fraudster. NSW Police

He also wrote in a statement that he and Caddick were denied food, water and medical attention they all "desperately needed for 14 hours during the search".

On Friday he conceded this was not the case.

Caddick's family hold ASIC responsible for her disappearance, with her brother personally accusing Isabella Allen, the project manager of the investigation.

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"How do you feel being responsible for Melissa's death," Adam Grimley told Allen, she said in earlier evidence. 

Allen said she didn't feel responsible as she was just doing her job. 

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Before Melissa Caddick disappeared in November 2020, the Sydney business woman ripped off more than 60 investors to the tune of $25 million dollars.

Before Melissa Caddick disappeared in November 2020, the Sydney businesswoman ripped off more than 60 investors to the tune of $25 million. Nine

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Koletti maintains he had no inkling his wife was defrauding family and friends of millions of dollars, nor did he ask her why federal police and ASIC were suddenly searching their Sydney eastern suburbs home on November 11, 2020.

It was the last verified sighting of Caddick before she vanished without a trace.

Caddick's Ponzi scheme victims, mostly family and friends, lost $20-$30 million she used to fund her lavish lifestyle.

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

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Photographs shows Anthony Koletti leaving Lidcombe Coroners court on Wednesday 28th September 2022.

Anthony Koletti leaving Lidcombe Coroners Court on September 28. Dean Sewell.

On Thursday forensic psychiatrist Dr Kerri Eagle said she had assessed Caddick as having a "narcissistic personality disorder" but emphasised the caveat of never having interviewed her, and purely basing her diagnosis on statements and other records.

Facing exposure as a fraud and not appearing as brilliant as she projected, the intense humiliation could cause her to feel there was no other outlet than suicide, Eagle said.

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The inquest continues.

Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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