Brisbane's 'Bernie Madoff' pleads guilty

US prosecutors say a fugitive conman, accused of $US70 million fraud in Australia and California, may have had plastic surgery to thwart the FBI.

US prosecutors say a conman who fled to Australia may have had plastic surgery to thwart the FBI.

HIS name is Eminiano Reodica, but after living as a fugitive in Australia for 20 years the conman earned the nicknames Brisbane's Bernie Madoff and Teflon Don.

THE seemingly always smiling Filipino-born shyster's long list of victims in Australia and California ranged from a grieving widow to multi-billion dollar banks.