Melissa Caddick case was given ‘fresh eyes’ a week after disappearance
More than a week after Melissa Caddick disappeared with no sighting of the fraudster a new officer in charge was brought on to give the investigation fresh eyes.
Detective Sergeant Michael Foscholo took over as OIC in late November 2021 and is due to give evidence later today at the inquest of the suspected death of the Sydney conwoman.
The two-week inquest will then break before Caddick’s husband Anthony Koletti is due to give evidence on September 26.
However, the current list of witnesses is running overtime.
Her mother and brother have requested to be added to the list as concerns were raised about their voice not being heard. Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan will consider this at a later date.
The last verified sighting of Caddick was when the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and Australian Federal Police raided her Dover Heights mansion on November 11, 2020.
The next morning she was purportedly heard leaving in the early hours to go for a run and some 30 hours after that Koletti informed police she never returned.
Her Ponzi scheme victims, mostly family and friends, lost $20 to $30 million she used to fund her lavish lifestyle.
Detective Sergeant Michael Kyneur faced questions about his leadership of the investigation after it was revealed there were a number of inconsistencies in Mr Koletti’s statements.
Following a meeting Det Sgt Kyneur was taken off the case and replaced with Det Sgt Foscholo, as the investigation “might benefit from a fresh set of eyes,” Detective Inspector Gretchen Atkins said of her decision.
“During the investigation (Det Sgt Foscholo) found no evidence to support the theory Mr Koletti played a role in Ms Caddick’s disappearance,” counsel assisting Jason Downing SC said in his opening address.
Downing said the police made judgments about what may have transpired largely based on what Caddick’s family told them.
