"It's time for the truth to come out": Melissa Caddick's husband speaks
The husband of fraudster Melissa Caddick made a series of bombshell claims about his wife’s disappearance, and presumed death, almost a year after the high-flying millionaire vanished from Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Anthony Koletti says he “knows why she died” months after Ms Caddick’s decomposed foot was found on a remote beach hundreds of kilometres from their Dover Heights home.
The rest of her body was never recovered.
“I can’t keep silent any longer,” he said in a preview from 7 News Spotlight.
“It’s time for the truth to come out.”
Mr Koletti had remained largely silent since his wife vanished in the early hours of November 12 last year, just two days after the corporate watchdog raided their home.
Ms Caddick’s teenage son told police he heard the front door close on November 12 about 5:30am. Ms Caddick was running a Ponzi scheme through her business Maliver.
She was accused of swindling clients, mainly family and friends, out of millions of dollars to fund her lavish lifestyle.
In the bombshell Spotlight preview, Mr Koletti claimed someone killed his wife – though police have repeatedly pointed to the likely outcome that Ms Caddick took her own life.
“I know why she died,” he said.
Ms Caddick’s brother Adam Grimley also appeared in the promotional video where he said he handed $2 million over to his sister before her mysterious disappearance.
The 49-year-old mother was last seen alive on November 11 and left early the following morning to go for a run, but she did not take her phone, which at the time, Mr Koletti said was unusual.
Despite combing through hours of dash-cam footage and CCTV, she had seemingly vanished without a trace.
About three months later her decomposed foot and Asic shoe was found by surfers at Bournda Beach on the NSW south coast on February 21.
Criminology experts have each put forward wild theories about what might have happened to Ms Caddick, including some which suggest she may have gone into hiding or even chopped off her own foot.
In March Police Commissioner Mick Fuller was asked about whether Ms Caddick may have taken her own life.
Her $7 million Dover Heights home is just a short walk to cliff face.
“That’s a real difficult one,” Mr Fuller said.
“(But it’s not often) body parts wash up so far south of Sydney and in such good condition.
“Not to say it can’t happen.” Ms Caddick has left behind her husband, teenage son and elderly parents who now fear getting kicked out of a Sydney apartment they contributed $1.1m toward.
Cash and property, including the Edgecliff home her parents live in, are among luxury assets at the centre of a court hearing brought by Australia’s corporate watchdog exploring how to repay the investors who sunk about $30m into Ms Caddick’s “sham” company.
In July a court heard her assets should not be sold off until it can be confirmed she is dead.
There is no suggestion her parents, husband or brother were aware of or had any involvement in Ms Caddick’s actions.