Was Melissa Caddick a financial genius who cracked the code to guaranteed returns, or Australia's most expensive morning jogger who turned fraud into an art form?

In this episode of History's Greatest Idiots, we explore the spectacular rise and mysterious fall of the Sydney socialite who stole $30 million from friends and family, lived like royalty for eight years, and then vanished into thin air.

What You'll Discover:

How a petty check-forger became Australia's most notorious Ponzi schemer

The fake university degrees that launched her fraudulent financial empire

Why she made herself "too exclusive" to attract desperate investors

The $40,000 Aspen hotel stays funded by stolen retirement money

How a chance meeting in a dentist's office brought down her scheme

The federal police raid that triggered her mysterious disappearance

Why her hairdresser husband waited 30 hours to report her missing

The gruesome beach discovery that ended wild conspiracy theories

How victims received only 32 cents for every dollar they lost

From Dover Heights Mansion to Ocean Floor: Melissa Caddick operated without licenses, used 37 fake bank accounts, and fabricated investment statements while living in a $6 million Sydney mansion. Her company Maliver was pure fiction, but her designer handbag collection was devastatingly real.

Through fake credentials and social manipulation, she convinced intelligent people (including her own parents) to hand over their life savings for investments that never existed. Her victims weren't gullible; they were simply unlucky enough to trust a charming sociopath who was willing to steal from family to fund her Louis Vuitton addiction.

The ultimate cautionary tale about financial fraud, family betrayal, and the high cost of living beyond your means.

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Artist: Sarah Chey

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Animation: Daniel Wilson

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Music: Andrew Wilson

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