An oceanographer has told an inquest how a missing fraudster's severed foot could have ended up on a beach 250 miles from where she was last seen.
Melissa Caddick vanished from her home in Sydney, Australia last November after going for a morning run.
She was facing fraud charges at the time of her disappearance and according to Australian media the 49-year-old had swindled clients, including friends and family, out of millions of dollars through her finance business Maliver Pty Ltd.
Police initially suspected that she had been attempting to leave the country, having gone missing the day after her $7m Dover Heights home was raided by Australian Federal Police.
In February a decomposed foot washed up on Bournda Beach, six hours south of Sydney.
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NSW Police)Experts examined goose barnacles on the foot and found that it had likely been floating for three to seven days off the coast of New South Wales.
Oceanographer Dr David Griffin told an inquest into the fraudster's presumed death that it was entirely possible her body had been floating close to the ocean floor for the three months from her disappearance to the foot washing up.
"The NSW coast is the most energetic oceanographic part of Australia," 9news.com.au reported that he told the inquest.
"It is highly unlikely anything can just drift along the continental shelf without getting caught or snagged."
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AAP/PA Images)Caddick's husband Anthony Koletti was stood down from the witness box after finding the questions "confusing".
His lawyer told magistrates he would undergo a health assessment before returning to give evidence.
It’s claimed Caddick used the swindled cash to fund a lavish lifestyle, which featured luxury ski trips and designer jewellery.
She had been ordered to hand her passports over and her assets were said to have been frozen at the time of her disappearance.
