Melissa Caddicks husband makes a sad confession more than four years after his fraudster wife vanished without a trace
The husband of infamous fraudster Melissa Caddick has admitted he will never recover from her disappearance and death.
The husband of infamous fraudster Melissa Caddick has admitted he will never recover from her disappearance and death.
On the fourth anniversary of his 49-year-old wifes disappearance on November 12, 2020, Anthony Koletti, 42, reflected on his lavish life with Caddick, funded by the $23million she scammed from dozens of clients, including family and friends.
Caddick was declared dead by a coroner in May last year. She had disappeared one day after ASIC investigators and Australian Federal Police officers raided her home at Dover Heights, east Sydney.
In February 2021, Caddicks right foot - matched by DNA - was found in a shoe washed up on a beach south of Tathra, about 500km from where she was last seen alive.
Its believed she jumped from the cliffs near her home, but the coroner was unable to determine her cause of death due to a lack of evidence.
The emotional pain is a million times harder than anything else I lost. Im still not over it, Mr Koletti told Womans Day.
Mr Koletti claimed he was also a victim of Caddick and did not know of her large-scale con until the investigation into her crimes was underway.
While he doesnt refute Caddicks fraud, Mr Koletti does blame ASICs handling of Caddicks case for her death.
Infamous fraudster Melissa Caddicks husband, Anthony Koletti (pictured together), has admitted hell never recover from her disappearance and death
Of Caddicks death, Mr Koletti (pictured) said: The emotional pain is a million times harder than anything else I lost. Im still not over it
He said its investigators should be ashamed of themselves and claimed he was ignored and belittled when he offered suggestions to the coroner on how to prevent such a tragedy ever occurring again.
Ill never get over the way I lost Melissa, Mr Koletti said.
He resumed working as a full-time hairdresser following Caddicks disappearance and now runs a salon in Sydneys east.
He also works as a time DJ and amateur music producer, saying he had to start my life again at 40.
Caddicks son, 18, from her first marriage is now mostly under the care of Mr Koletti.
The pair share an apartment in Vaucluse and the young adult studies at university.
Mr Koletti said he is doing well but still struggles with the memory of hearing his mother leave their home at 5.30am on the day she vanished.
A $4.25million compensation payout was shared between 55 of Caddicks victims in August.
The funds were collected from the sale of her assets, include the mortgaged $9.8 million Dover Heights home.
In spite of Mr Kolettis grief, many Australians still believe Caddick could be alive and hiding overseas to avoid detection.
The conspiracy theory has led to several sightings of the fraudster, including one of her limping at a wedding in Canada.
However, criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro told Daily Mail Australia that it is more likely she is dead.
Who knows? More likely than not shes deceased. Thats my view. How has she died? Thats speculative, whether it was by suicide or by foul play.
Caddick (pictured) stole $23million from dozens of clients, including family and friends, in a Ponzi scheme
Despite this, Watson-Munro acknowledges why some people cling to the idea that Caddick is still out there, and did not completely rule out the theory.
Although losing a foot might seem extreme to some people, it paled when compared to serving a 10 to 15-year prison sentence, he explained.
She could afford a good surgeon who could perhaps remove the foot and have a prosthetic foot made thats fitting and comfortable, he said.
Now, for some that may seem pretty drastic but when youre faced with what she was facing in terms of probably decades in prison, certainly more than 10 to 15 years, you would think for that amount of money, its a softer option.
She was the queen of the con, the Queen of the Ponzi scheme.
