Liar, Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions
Since late 2020, the case of missing Sydney woman Melissa Caddick has captivated the country. A seemingly successful businesswoman from Sydney's eastern suburbs went missing after authorities raided her Dover Heights home amid questions over an unlicensed financial planning business.
Sydney Morning Herald investigative journalist Kate McClymont would reveal key details of a massive Ponzi scheme and a $23 million fraud that ripped off investors including her family and friends as Caddick lived the high life of overseas trips, cars and high end fashion. McClymont's coverage would win her a ninth Walkley Award.
Now McClymont and 60 Minutes’ Tom Steinfort are set to present a breakthrough podcast Liar, Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions that will follow the twists and turns of a case where everyone has a theory of their own. What happened to the money and what happened to Melissa? Liar Liar will reveal fresh details of the crime of the century through interviews with key players and takes listeners from upmarket jewellery auction rooms in Hong Kong, to the ski slopes of Aspen to private islands in the South Pacific.
Our Editor's Take
Liar, Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions shares the story of a prolific con artist. The podcast follows the tale of an Australian fraudster, Melissa Caddick. She had over 30 bank accounts and stole millions from 72 victims, including her own parents.
The scammer presented herself as a certified financial consultant with an impressive resume. The truth was, not one word about her experience was factual. Melissa fooled people into giving her their hard-earned fortunes. With their money, she built a designer wardrobe. She never wore the same outfit twice and complemented every look with diamond jewelry. The podcast investigates her personality, motivations, acts, and aftermath. The two hosts piece together testimonials and evidence. They try to build a complete timeline of the events.
The podcast hosts first became fascinated with this case after a press conference. Kate McClymont and Tom Steinfort watched Anthony Koletti's appeal to Australians. Melissa's husband said that he was distraught by her uncharacteristic disappearance. Something in his evasiveness made the journalists feel like there was more to the story. A few months later, police discovered a decomposed foot that washed up on the NSW beach. They believed it to be Melissa's limb, but that didn't convince everyone she was dead. Some, engrossed by this account, felt she chopped off her foot to mislead authorities.
Kate and Tom team up to tell the story of this outrageous case. They reveal accounts of small scams in Melissa's early life, which may have led to her criminal acts. They share lies she told in her private life to support her greater scheme. The journalists examine Melissa's methods to attract her victims and expose how she used the stolen money. All of this leads to the first crack in the con artist's foundation, which resulted in her demise.
The podcast is a comprehensive examination of a charismatic and deceitful woman. Kate and Tom reveal details unknown to the public. There are also bonus installments that aired as new information came to light. All ten episodes of Liar, Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions are available.
Episodes
