A former financial adviser has been ordered to stand trial in the Bendigo County Court to answer 19 fraud-related charges relating to the misappropriation of $1.3 million of clients’ and investors’ funds.
Following an investigation by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Matthew Leech was alleged to have misused monies given to him by clients while he was working as a financial adviser with TJ Porker & Associates.
The corporate regulator charged Leech with four counts of theft and 13 counts of obtaining financial advantage or property, accusing him of embezzling a sum of $1.3 million.
In addition, he is facing one count of using his position as a company director of Nataimosh to secure $51,450 for his own benefit.
ASIC has also brought one count of creating false documents against the former adviser.
Leech has reserved his plea and is scheduled to appear in the Bendigo County Court again on May 9 of this year, when the matter will be prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
