Marion Barter inquest to hear evidence from conman Ric Blum’s 93-year-old victim

An elderly widow will give evidence that a key figure in the disappearance of a Queensland teacher stole from her late husband.

Andrèe Flamme, 92, and her daughter Agnès Plume, had a precious gold coin collection and family heirloom jewellery stolen by international conman Ric Blum in 2010.

An elderly widow will give evidence that a serial conman, and central figure in inquiries into the mystery disappearance of a Queensland teacher, stole her late husband’s coin collection.

Andree Flamme, 93, and her daughter Agnes Plume will ­appear via video link when a coronial inquest into Marion Barter’s suspected death resumes in May.

The development comes after The Australian last month ­detailed the theft and provided contact details for the pair, who live together in Portugal, to ­detectives at the request of NSW police.

Missing teacher Marion Barter.

Ms Plume said a NSW homicide squad detective had subsequently asked them to give evidence at the inquest.

“I was contacted by Leza Pessotto, who asked us to testify. We accepted. It will be at the end of May and beginning of June,” Ms Plume said.

Convicted fraudster Ric Blum admits he had an affair with Barter shortly before she vanished in 1997. He denies any involvement in the disappearance but has been accused of deceiving and stealing from a series of women in Australia and abroad.

Ms Flamme says in 2010 Mr Blum was staying at her Brussels home on the pretence of valuing the gold and silver coins, then fled with the collection when she went to the shops.

She reported the theft to authorities in Belgium at the time, and wrote to Queensland’s then-­governor, Penelope Wensley, after tracking Mr Blum to the state. Her 2010 letter said Mr Blum was wanted by Belgium police and questioned how he was able to live in Australia and use the country as a shield.

When Mr Blum was asked about the letter and its allegations at the inquest last year, he said Ms Flamme was in a wheelchair when he took the coins, had dementia and “couldn’t put two words together”. He said he later sent the coins back to Ms Flamme by registered post from his home at Miami on the Gold Coast, and had a receipt to prove it.

Ms Flamme told The Australian she had never been in a wheelchair, did not have dementia, and Mr Blum had sent back only a fraction of what he stole.

Ric Blum has been accused by Andree Flamme of lying under oath at the Marion Barter inquest. Picture: Tessa Flemming

“I think he’s the one who has Alzheimer’s because he’s ­obviously forgotten a lot of things,” she said.

“I went to the shop just down the road, I wasn’t even gone that long. And when I got back, everything was gone.

“My God, I hope he suffers.”

Mr Blum estimated the coins were worth about €20,000, but the family believe the real value is much higher.

Australian police have never previously contacted Ms Flamme. The Australian spoke to her after volunteer researcher Joni Condos, assisting Barter’s family, tracked down her grandson.

Detective Senior Constable Sasha Pinazza said in a December 2021 statement provided to the inquest that police had obtained Ms Flamme’s letter but had been unable to locate her. “A request was submitted to Interpol, based on the information contained in the letter, to identify and locate Andree Flamme,” Constable Pinazza stated. “A response was received from Interpol Brussels that they were unable to do so.”

Mr Blum did not reply to ­requests for comment.