A Perth court has been told an alleged investment fraudster who owes $149 million to clients has contacted witnesses who would be party to his case.
Applecross father Michael Dunjey, 52, was the director of Ascent Investment and Coaching Pty Ltd before the Federal Court forced its closure in 2023 following accusations the company was a Ponzi scheme.
Michael Dunjey leaves court on Friday.Credit: 9 News Perth
Complaints were made to ASIC as early as 2017, leading them to seek freezing orders in 2022 in the civil court after they alleged he was operating without a license and falsifying financial records.
At the time, it was alleged he owed $149 million to clients.
Following that investigation, Dunjey – who now lives in Melbourne – was arrested and charged with 23 counts of fraudulently obtaining a benefit in relation to more than $4 million of investor funds, five counts of failing to act in good faith relating to the use of just under $2.5 million, and five counts of falsifying books relating to the company’s annual returns.
During his second appearance on Friday, Perth Magistrates Court was told Dunjey had been instructed at his first hearing not to contact a list of witnesses who were party to the case, but he had allegedly breached that order.
Dunjey allegedly reached out to one witness via text after her mother died, the court was told, with Commonwealth prosecutors flagging they would seek to revoke his bail if it happened again.
Dunjey’s lawyer told the court his client had admitted the breach, that the witness was “a long-term friend”, and it would not happen again.
Dunjey also applied to appear at his next hearing via video link from Melbourne, where he now resides with his wife and children.
His lawyer asked for an adjournment for time to go over 4000 disclosure documents received on Wednesday.
The 52-year-old launched a business as a life coach before branching out into investing. He will be back before the courts on August 29.