Anton Mentz – formerly Marius Anton Ackerman – granted bail on fraud charges

Accused fraudster Anton Mentz has been granted bail despite being alleged to have ripped off at least eight people about $99,000.

ACCUSED fraudster Anton Mentz has been granted bail despite being alleged to have ripped off at least eight people about $99,000.

Mentz, formerly known as Marius Anton Ackerman, will have to wear a GPS tracker though as part of strict bail conditions.

The 51-year-old wore loose grey pants and moved to the very end of the dock when he appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Brisbane District Court Marius Anton ACKERMAN outside court during trial relation to tax and property development fraud. Photographer Philip Norrish.

He is charged with one count of fraud and one count of contravening a direction to provide a password to an electronic device.

Mentz is accused of running a fraudulent finance company under the name of Citi Private Capital, in which he allegedly created loss to about eight people between February 1 and August 1 this year.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Kasey Lowe opposed bail.

“It does pose a risk to the community,” she told the court.

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“His offending is such that members of the community are suffering a financial loss.”

Sgt Lowe told the court police were also concerned that the alleged offending was similar to offences committed in 2014.

The court heard he was released on parole for those offences in March last year.

Defence lawyer Chris Schrader, of Legal Aid Queensland, said Mentz strongly refuted the charges.

“The strength of the Crown case seemed to be the phone number and the presentation of a person speaking with the South African accent,” he said.

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Mr Schrader said Mentz’s Hope Island home was leased for him by his father.

Magistrate Cameron McKenzie granted Mentz bail.

He said he was concerned that Mentz’s alleged offending occurred so close to Mentz being released on parole.

Magistrate McKenzie said he felt the risk of reoffending could be reduced by strict bail conditions including he wear a GPS tracker, report to police twice a week and live at his Hope Island home.

Mentz is expected to apply for Legal Aid to fund his defence.

The matter was adjourned to September 16.