Liquidator ‘forensically reconstructing’ Melissa Caddick financial affairs, issues plea
Ms Caddick went missing the day after ASIC raided her home. Photo: Supplied Photo: ABC
A provisional liquidator analysing the finances of missing Sydney businesswoman Melissa Caddick is calling for anyone with knowledge of her affairs and assets to come forward.
The 49-year-old hasn’t been seen since November, after the corporate watchdog raided her Dover Heights home.
ASIC alleges Ms Caddick was misappropriating investor funds through her financial services company, Maliver, and operating without a licence.
Bruce Gleeson, Principal at Jones Partners, was appointed a provisional liquidator late last year during the ongoing case in the Federal Court.
“We have been forensically reconstructing the financial affairs of Melissa Caddick and the company,” Mr Gleeson said in a statement.
“This has involved reviewing thousands of documents, interviewing and corresponding with various individuals including family members, a former employer, former employees and notably many investor creditors.”
This week, the court heard the receiver and provisional liquidator reports have been handed to ASIC and the court and run into “hundreds” of pages.
But the details and their findings cannot be published under an order by Justice Brigitte Markovic.
Investors will be handed redacted copies.
The court heard even though most clients invested with Maliver, the majority of the assets are in Ms Caddick’s name.
Melissa Caddick left her Dover Heights home in November and hasn’t been seen since.
Mr Gleeson described the matter as “unusual” and said he was continuing to liaise with ASIC regarding the best strategy to determine ownership of assets and maximise the return to creditors.
“We are calling on anyone who may be aware of assets belonging to Melissa Caddick or knowledge of her financial affairs relevant to the investigation to come forward,” Mr Gleeson said.
“We are also urging anyone who has not yet come forward who believes they may be owed money by Melissa Caddick or her company to contact us.”
The court has this week heard just $5,600 remains in Ms Caddick’s bank accounts.
Her husband, Anthony Koletti, was granted access to limited funds for living expenses and to support Ms Caddick’s son, however the arrangement has been ceased by a court order.
ASIC has previously said in court Ms Caddick’s investors handed over $13.1 million and named more than 60 clients in documents.
However, a law firm acting for some of the investors believes the true total may be $20 million or higher.
The case returns to court for a two-day hearing in April.