After the police released an image of the accused Anthony Koletti turned himself in. Image for representation (Source: Pixabay)
Anthony Koletti, the widower of deceased fraudster Melissa Caddick, has been arrested and charged with the rape of a 73-year-old woman. The incident reportedly occurred on July 23 at Vaucluse's Lighthouse Reserve. The 43-year-old man voluntarily surrendered later that evening at Waverly Police Station after the image of the suspect was released to the public in the hope of finding him.
Anthony Koletti is a Sydney hairstylist with over 25 years of experience. He also did part-time DJing in the suburbs. Koletti met Melissa Caddick when she visited him as a client in his salon. The two eventually got married.
Melissa Caddick was notorious after being busted as the brains of a $30 million Ponzi scheme. Her tale made national news headlines not only for the financial scam but also because of the enigma about how she went missing and finally died.
Melissa Caddick was investigated in 2020 by federal authorities and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) for operating a sophisticated Ponzi scheme. According to reports, she convinced family and friends to invest in promises of high returns on nonexistent investments. The scheme unraveled when she went missing in late November 2020 after her home was raided just days earlier.
Her vanishing attracted widespread speculation. She had been seen departing her Dover Heights residence for the last time. In February 2021, a shoe with her decomposed foot was found washed up on the NSW South Coast. Although she was declared dead by the authorities, the cause of death is still unknown. She was formally declared dead by Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan in May 2023. Yet there are still suspicions surrounding whether her death was a suicide or whether it involved foul play.
Since Caddick’s disappearance and confirmation of her death, Koletti has denied any knowledge or involvement in her criminal activities. Despite widespread speculation, there has been no legal action against him regarding the Ponzi scheme.
Upon her death, Caddick's properties were auctioned off to repay victims of the fraud. Koletti was financially ruined. He now resides in an apartment complex in Vaucluse and is bringing up Caddick's teenage son from a previous relationship.
Koletti is due to appear in court on September 5 over the sexual assault charges. Authorities are still investigating and have yet to release further information regarding the case.
While the name Koletti was previously linked to the Melissa Caddick affair, this new twist has again thrust him into the limelight for a different, serious charge. As the legal proceedings continue, further details of the case are likely to come to light.
