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'It's sick': Shocking theory after Sydney millionaire vanishes

The extravagant life of a missing Sydney millionaire is unravelling as investors fear she misappropriated up to $40 million.

Financial adviser Melissa Caddick, 49, was last seen at her $7 million Dover Heights home, in Sydney’s east, during the early hours of November 13.

Detectives have been looking into the possibility the millionaire staged her own disappearance after Australia Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) demanded Ms Caddick’s company, Maliver Pty Limited hand over its latest financial statement as part of an ongoing investigation into the handling of investor funds.

Investors have spoken out over concern Ms Caddick misappropriated up to $40 million, describing the eccentric 49-year-old as “the con-artist of the century”.

"This lady's robbed from genuine hard-working families that are less wealthy than she is. She's taken from elderly and young people. It's just sick, it's really sick,” one investor told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Missing Sydney Financial Advisor Melissa Caddick (left) with her husband Anthony Koletti (right).
Financial adviser and millionaire Melissa Caddick and her second husband Anthony Koletti. Source: Facebook

It is alleged Ms Caddick had been operating a Ponzi scheme using money from new investors to pay earlier investors for the past six years.

Investors were delighted at the huge returns they were receiving, some reporting up to 30 per cent, however The Herald reported Ms Caddick allegedly created fake CommSec trading accounts for each new client only consisting of six digits.

Genuine CommSec accounts have eight digit account numbers.

ASIC reportedly began investigating after another financial planner discovered Ms Caddick had been using her licence.

The expensive lifestyle of Melissa Caddick

Ms Caddick and her family lived a lavish lifestyle, with annual month-long ski holidays to Aspen and trips in private jets to destinations like Bora Bora and Polynesia.

Her teenage son attended an exclusive Sydney private school and Ms Caddick recently added $60,000 worth of jewellery to her $3 million collection for her birthday, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Details of Ms Caddick’s spending baffled close friends, including one friend of 20 years who spoke to the Herald questioning how a basic financial planner could afford such extravagance.

"Who takes her personal hairdresser on a business trip to New York?” the friend said.

Melissa Caddick with a dog in a photo provided by NSW police
Millionaire Melissa Caddick has been missing since she left her home early on November 13. Source: NSW Police

Ms Caddick’s husband Anthony Koletti, a former hairstylist, spoke publicly to the media begging for his wife to return home following her disappearance.

"We've been married seven years, we've known each other a long time … I'm doing everything to help detectives find her. It's really hard. I just want to find her. Right now I'm chasing every lead possible, all I want is to find her,” he said.

There is no suggestion Mr Koletti is involved in his wife’s disappearance or participated in any wrongdoing regarding his wife’s ‘investments’.

Federal police recently asked for dashcam footage taken in the area and time Ms Caddick vanished after CCTV and private security vision failed to shed light on her movements that morning.

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