Two senior employees of a Geelong-based investment trading company were arrested in Queensland yesterday and were charged with a total of 41 criminal offences brought on by ASIC.
Chartwell Enterprises (Chartwell) former company secretary Ian Rau has been charged with 19 criminal offences.
The company's former director Graeme Hoy was also charged with 22 criminal offences yesterday and has been summoned to appear in the Geelong Magistrates Court on 11 September 2009.
Chartwell allegedly traded investor funds on local and global financial markets.
The firm entered voluntary administration in April 2008 and was placed into liquidation by creditors on 22 April 2008, allegedly owing investors in excess of $60 million.
Rau's offences include one count of carrying on financial services business without a licence, four counts of using false documents, three counts of obtaining a financial advantage of approximately $140,000 by deception, one count of dishonest use of position in company and 10 counts of engaging in dishonest conduct in relation to financial services.
Hoy's offences include two counts of carrying out financial services without a licence, 148 counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception, and 32 counts of obtaining property by deception amounting to approximately $26 million.
Hoy is also charged with one count of dishonest use of position in company and 41 counts of dishonest conduct.
Rau will face court on the same date.
The matter is being prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.