A year ago August we acquired Shari Berries and took a business that was stagnant and losing money to now one that got a nice growth rate and is generating a nice contribution margin as well. If we just keep our focus on what the consumer is looking for to help express and connect then we be continuing to see double digit growth for some time to come. That trend that we all learned from being isolated, our need to express and connect is a lasting trend coming out of this pandemic along with the shift from offline to online..

The alleged con came to an end on the night of November 11 last year, when investigators from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission raided her Sydney home, ordered her to hand in her passport the next morning and informed her all her assets would be frozen.Each of the investors happily gave their money following a personal recommendation from people they trusted of her investors that helped Ms Caddick eventually amass a $20 million fortune were long standing friends of Ms Caddick or her family members.In almost all cases of those who chose to invest, their relationship with Ms Caddick or a family member had spanned for more than 20 years.And in a further tragic twist, often the person who made the recommendation to invest had already been unwittingly sucked in.Over the years, no red flags with Ms Caddick or her business were ever raised.Any investor who wanted to withdraw their funds had done so with ease, and on repeated occasions.The withdrawal requests were typically actioned overnight.RELATED: Charges against suspected conwoman awayMelissa Caddick was lauded for her skill as a financial planner. Picture: Andy BakerSource:News Corp AustraliaRELATED: Suspected conwoman spent years large on investor fundsThe sophistication of the alleged con even saw some of Ms Caddick former finance colleagues investing in the business.In a few cases, investors were former work colleagues, who had known her for decades and had personally witnessed Ms Caddick jump from success to success as a financial planner.Ms Caddick was also allegedly piggybacking off a former colleague valid Australian Financial Services License (AFSL).In order to conduct the financial activities she was doing, Ms Caddick needed to hold a valid AFSL.Ms Caddick documentation to investors was meticulous, showing a valid AFSL, however the license was not hers.A check on the ASIC website showed the license was valid.While the person whose license Ms Caddick was using denies knowing or giving permission for her to use the license, the two former colleagues did allegedly maintain a working relationship through the referral of clients needing insurance brokering services.The only way investors would been able to uncover Ms Caddick was allegedly using someone else AFSL license would been for the investor to directly contact the holder and ask if Ms Caddick was in fact validly working under a different license.The huge step is not something lawyers believe many, if any, investors would taken.Ms Caddick’s Dover Heights mansion, allegedly funded by her fraudulent business. Picture: Damian ShawSource:News Corp AustraliaInvestors also took solace in investing their money in Ms Caddick due to her apparent link to a big four bank, those being Westpac, Commonwealth, NAB and ANZ.Ms Caddick allegedly gave her investors extensive documentation that appeared to be original documents issued by one of the big four banks and showing a link to its well known and trusted share trading platform.Some investors were even given internet log ins that allowed them to review their share trading information online.However, investigations have now allegedly uncovered all of the information linked to the big four bank, including investors ability to log in and see their shares, was completely fabricated.In order to uncover the alleged fabrication, investors would had to have called the bank, the share trading organisation and their share registries to verify all of the apparently legitimate documentation.Investors trust in Ms Caddick, built on their years of personal friendship or family relationships, meant most of them did not take these steps..