Con accused Peter Foster channels Paul Keating on Nine ethics

Alleged conman Peter Foster has used an appearance at a Sydney court to announce he has launched legal proceedings against Channel 9, accusing the network of displaying the ‘ethics of an alley cat’.

Peter Foster leaves a Sydney court. Picture: Joel Carrett

Alleged cryptocurrency conman Peter Foster used a brief appearance at a Sydney court to announce he had launched legal proceedings against the Nine Network, accusing it of displaying the “ethics of an alley cat”,

Mr Foster, 58, who is accused of defrauding a Hong Kong pilot of almost $2m, was being filmed by 60 Minutes when Queensland police crash-tackled him on a Port Douglas beach as he walked his dogs in August last year.

He faces 16 charges, including five counts of publishing false and misleading material to obtain advantage and 10 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advan­tage by deception.

Police allege Mr Foster adopted the alias “Bill Dawson” in an effort to defraud a former fighter pilot of almost $2m collected via Bitcoin through a gambling scheme called Sport Predictions.

On Thursday, Mr Foster’s lawyer told Downing Centre Local Court the case should be adjourned for four weeks because of “jurisdictional issues” and a “very, very complicated brief”.

Mr Foster was based in Queensland at the time of the alleged ­offending and was extradited to Sydney to face a warrant for fraud. He is accused of receiving funds into a crypto wallet with a Queensland address, but NSW police pursued the case because of the Bitcoin transfers being made through a Sydney cryptocurrency exchange.

Director of Public Prosecutions Eric Navea said prosecutors had intended to “withdraw” the charges against Mr Foster but were instead approached “earlier this week” with an offer to “negotiate the matter” in NSW.

NSW Chief Magistrate Graeme Henson granted the four-week adjournment, noting the “complicated” series of charges involved a “considerable amount of money”.

Asked about his alleged victims outside court, Mr Foster accused reporters of “wasting” his time. “Paul Keating described Channel 9 as having the ethics of an alley cat,” he said. “As you are aware, we have commenced litigation against Channel 9 so probably I should say nothing further.

“I’ll have plenty to say in a month. I’m very much looking forward to seeing my little dogs again and resuming my life.”

Mr Foster, who was released on bail last month, is living in a friend’s luxury home at Dover Heights in Sydney’s east.

The matter will return to court on May 20.