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AAP
AAP
National
Greta Stonehouse

Caddick's husband accepts wife a fraudster

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

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

It was interrupted by Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan who was finding Ms Caddick's brother's facial expressions "dramatic and distracting," during questions from counsel for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

"And if you are unable to restrain yourself, I will ask you to view the proceedings in the adjoining court," she said, before Adam Grimley stormed out.

Later she also asked Mr Koletti's lawyer Judy Swan to "please control your facial expressions as well".

Mr Koletti was taken to a statement he wrote to the court on July 2021 about the ASIC search warrant conducted at the couple's Sydney mansion on November 11, 2020.

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

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

"Yes," Mr Koletti said.

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

"No," Mr Koletti said.

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

For years Mr 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.

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

"Yes," Mr Koletti said.

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

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

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

Mr Koletti in the past has targeted ASIC's lead investigator Isabella Allen and on Friday said he found her conduct "cold-hearted, abrupt and uncaring".

"Consider this, my client, at all times acted in a professional and perhaps distant manner towards both you and Melissa," Ms Allen's lawyer John Sutton said.

"OK I accept that," Mr Koletti said.

Mr 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 Dover Heights home.

It was the last verified sighting of Ms Caddick before she vanished without a trace the following morning on November 12.

Ms 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.

Expert evidence has found Ms Caddick suffered from narcissistic personality disorder, and the shame and humiliation suffered from being exposed could have caused such intense psychological distress, and potentially suicide.

The inquest continues.

Lifeline 13 11 14

beyondblue 1300 22 4636

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