Former Chartwell secretary pleads guilty to more charges
The former secretary of failed investment firm Chartwell Enterprises, Ian Rau, has pleaded guilty in the Victorian Supreme Court to eight further charges brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Rau pleaded guilty to single counts of carrying on a financial services business without a license, making a false document, using a false document, obtaining a property by deception and four counts of engaging in dishonest conduct in relation to carrying on a financial services business.
Earlier this month Rau pleaded guilty to two counts of using a false document and one count of dishonest conduct, after a three-day committal hearing in the Geelong Magistrates’ Court.
The charges follow an ASIC investigation into Chartwell, which collapsed in April 2008 — owing investors in excess of $60 million.
Rau has been bailed to appear at the Victorian Supreme Court on 23 June for a plea hearing.
Rau’s co-accused, former Chartwell director Graeme Hoy, has indicated he will plead not guilty to more than 200 charges brought against him. A trial date was set for 31 January, 2011 to hear the charges. In the interim Hoy has been bailed until a mention hearing in the Supreme Court at Melbourne on 23 April.
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