Melissa Caddick's Mysterious Death, What Really Happened to Melissa Caddick?
by Sona
Updated May 29, 2023
Who was Melissa Caddick?
Melissa Louise Caddick was an Australian woman who went missing in November 2020 while being investigated by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC). The investigation was focused on her alleged operation of a financial services business without the required Australian Financial Services (AFS) license.
After ASIC agents and Australian Federal Police officers raided Melissa Caddick's residence in Dover Heights, Sydney, New South Wales, she vanished the following day. The authorities were investigating her for alleged embezzlement of approximately A$30 million from investors, including her friends and family.
Despite extensive speculation about her location, partial human remains were discovered on a beach in the South Coast of New South Wales in February 2021. Subsequent DNA testing conclusively identified the remains as belonging to Melissa Caddick.
Consequently, she was officially declared deceased. Following a coronial inquest in May 2023, the deputy state coroner ruled Caddick's death as undetermined due to the inability to determine the cause of her demise.
Melissa Caddick's Mysterious Death
The perplexing tale of Melissa Caddick, a prosperous mother who deceived investors out of $23 million before vanishing without a trace, has enthralled Australia for the past two and a half years. On Thursday morning, NSW Coroner Elizabeth Ryan concluded the inquest into Melissa Caddick's disappearance in November 2020, declaring her deceased at the age of 49.
During this period, various wild speculations emerged, including theories that the fraudster had gone into hiding or fled overseas after allegedly amputating her own foot. This foot, discovered in an ASICS shoe washed ashore on a beach in the New South Wales south coast in February 2021, fueled further speculation and curiosity.
Additionally, there were suggestions that Caddick might have taken her own life in the aftermath of a raid on her residence in Dover Heights, located in Sydney's eastern suburbs, on November 11, 2020. The mysterious circumstances surrounding her disappearance captivated public attention, resulting in the creation of a TV show, a podcast, and widespread media coverage that lasted for months.
What Really Happened to Melissa Caddick?
Melissa Louise Grimley, born on April 21, 1971, grew up in Lugarno, Sydney. In November 2020, Australian authorities conducted a raid on Melissa's residence in Dover Heights, Sydney. The raid was a result of an investigation by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) into her involvement in a financial services business without the required license.
It was discovered that Melissa had been operating a Ponzi scheme from October 2012 until 2019, through which she unlawfully obtained approximately $30 million (equivalent to around £16 million) from her friends and family.
Using the embezzled funds, Melissa led an extravagant lifestyle, indulging in luxury purchases such as properties, cars, designer clothing, and artwork. However, just hours after the raid on her home, Melissa mysteriously disappeared, leaving her family and belongings behind. Her sudden disappearance triggered an extensive manhunt to locate her, but no traces of her whereabouts were found until February 2021.
During a press conference, the New South Wales Police Force commissioner revealed that a decomposed human foot, contained within a shoe, had washed up on Bournda Beach, which was located 500 kilometers away from Melissa's residence in Dover Heights.
The shoe matched Melissa's size and the description of the shoes she had been wearing during the raid. DNA testing was conducted on samples taken from the foot found on the beach, as well as from Melissa's toothbrush and her family members. The results of the testing confirmed that the foot belonged to Melissa.
Melissa Caddick Cause of Death
A coroner's investigation has concluded that Melissa Caddick, the infamous fraudster, is indeed deceased. However, due to her husband Anthony Koletti's failure to provide a truthful account of events during the 30 hours preceding his report of her disappearance, the cause and manner of her death will remain a mystery.
According to the coroner, Caddick's husband, a hairdresser, and part-time DJ, along with her parents Barb and Ted Grimley, believe that she died by suicide, specifically by jumping from the cliffs near Dover Heights in the early hours of November 12, 2020. Despite numerous reported sightings by members of the public, Melissa Caddick has not been seen since her disappearance.
How Did Melissa Caddick Die?
Magistrate Ryan has determined that Melissa Caddick is deceased, but she was unable to ascertain the specific details of her death. The evidence presented during the inquest did not provide a conclusive answer regarding how, when, or where she passed away.
Law enforcement authorities initially suspected that Caddick had taken her own life by jumping off the cliff at Rodney Reserve, which was approximately 500 meters from her home, on the morning of November 12, 2020. Testimony from forensic psychiatrist Dr. Kerri Eagle suggested that Caddick, who may have had a narcissistic personality disorder, could have considered suicide as a means to escape the personal and professional devastation she faced.
However, the evidence available was insufficient to definitively establish suicide as the cause of Caddick's death. Magistrate Ryan noted the absence of eyewitness reports or CCTV footage placing Caddick at the cliff, which further complicated the investigation. The coroner also could not conclusively determine whether Caddick received assistance from another individual or if her death was the result of a misadventure.
Regrettably, due to these limitations, the coroner was unable to provide definitive findings on the cause and manner of Melissa Caddick's death. Magistrate Ryan acknowledged the profound and ongoing sadness experienced by Caddick's family due to her sudden and traumatic disappearance.
Melissa Caddick's Mysterious Death: FAQs
Melissa Caddick was an Australian woman who went missing in November 2020 amid an investigation into her alleged financial fraud.
Melissa Caddick disappeared after authorities raided her home in Sydney. Partial human remains, confirmed to be hers, were found on a beach months later.
The cause and manner of Melissa Caddick's death remain unknown. The coroner was unable to determine how or when she passed away.
Melissa Caddick was 49 years old when she went missing in November 2020.
She was investigated for operating a financial services business without the required license and allegedly embezzling millions of dollars from investors.