Members Alliance director Richard Marlborough charged over property investment ‘fraud’

IN a dramatic bust, police have arrested a man at his Gold Coast mansion as part of a long-running investigation into what they think could be a major property investment scam.

IT’S tough to reach the front door of Richard Marlborough’s mansion inside an exclusive gated golf estate on the Gold Coast — that is unless you’re the police there to arrest him.

In the high times Marlborough’s cold-calling wealth creation business Members Alliance bought him a Rolls Royce and a Bentley.

But on Tuesday the fallout from the fiasco brought him to the Brisbane watchhouse, accused of fleecing investors across Australia of millions of dollars.

Richard Marlborough’s home features a large putting green with bunkers. Picture: News Corp Australia

Marlborough, a director of the Members Alliance group that collapsed in 2016, was taken into custody at his Hope Island home following Operation Oscar Monkshood — an 11-month investigation by the Queensland Police Financial and Cyber Crime Group, the Queensland Building and Construction Commission and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

It is alleged Members Alliance dishonestly induced victims to hand over $2.2 million for the construction of houses in Queensland and NSW.

Some were never finished but investors were left without insurance to complete construction. Marlborough, 52, has been charged with dishonestly inducing victims to deliver money into accounts he controlled.

Richard Marlborough with his wife Deborah.

“Unfortunately a lot of Australian investors have had their dreams of home ownership shattered by the unscrupulous behaviour of those involved in this group,” said QPS Detective Superintendent Terry Lawrence of the Financial and Cyber Crime Group said.

The investigation and arrest demonstrated a commitment to addressing “cold-call investment fraud”, he said.

Marlborough was granted bail in Brisbane Magistrates Court.

Outside court lawyer Daniel Hannay said his client was pleased to be going home.

That home is inside a gated golf estate and features a large private putting green flanked by bunkers and a pool.

“There’s an allegation of fraud for a company which at its height had 350 staff members so it’s an extensive and complex police investigation,” Mr Hannay said.

“We’re defending the charges.”

Marlborough made a hasty getaway outside court, covering his face with court paperwork and refusing to talk to journalists.

His bail conditions include that he report to police three times a week, surrender his passport, make no contact with former staff and not go within 500m of international ports.

Court documents allege that between November 29, 2013 and October 30, 2015, Marlborough dishonestly induced the ANZ bank to deliver funds to Image Building Group of which he was a director and the property from the dishonestly was $1,753,491.

Image Building is part of the Members Alliance group.

Marlborough recently declared himself bankrupt, owing the Australian Taxation Office about $27 million. He listed as one of his few personal assets a Rolls Royce worth $640,000.