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The husband of missing conwife Melissa Caddick recalls the moment when the couple fell in love during a secret meeting and formed an “intimate friendship” while still married.
Anthony Koletti has opened up about their nine-year relationship during the inquest into Caddick’s disappearance and presumed death in November 2020.
The inquest was also shown with a loving post-it and text messages the part-time hairdresser/aspiring DJ sent to Caddick the morning she disappeared from their Dover Heights mansion, just hours after they were ambushed by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission, the company’s watchdog.
Mr Kolleti revealed in an affidavit that he first met his future wife in 2005 at the salon where he worked. Caddick was married to her first husband at the time.
The pair remained friends until a secret meeting in 2011 when Caddick prepared to move to London with her family.
“We agreed to have lunch so Melissa could say goodbye,” recalls Koletti.
Melissa Caddick (left) was married to her first husband when she met Anthony Koletti (right) in a salon in 2005. They weren’t born until six years later after she moved to London
‘During this lunch, our friendship shifted from hairdresser and client to a more intimate friendship.
“At that time we had no other intimate contact than a kiss goodbye. However, I believe Melissa fell in love with me. I fell in love with her at this point.’
Koletti stayed in touch with Caddick and traveled to New York in May 2011 to meet her.
The couple reunited in Cyprus four months later.
“Our physical relationship started in Cyprus in September 2011,” said Koletti.
Shortly after the affair began, Caddick divorced her first husband in 2011.
Caddick and Koletti returned to Australia in 2012 and the hairdresser moved in with her.
The inquest also heard Mr. Koletti’s memory of their last night together on November 11, the day ASIC raided their home.
Anthony Koletti pasted a post-in note (pictured) to his wife’s phone next to an early Christmas present the morning she disappeared on November 12, 2020
After the 12-hour robbery ended at 6pm, the couple had a takeaway before going to bed around 9:30pm.
Mr Kolleti said he woke up at night before going back to bed at 4am when he last saw her.
He was awakened at 6:30 am by a slamming door and was told by Mrs. Caddick’s teenage son that he assumed she had gone for a run.
Mr Koletti sent his wife several text messages when she had not returned by 07:16.
‘Are you OK?’ asked one.
He then asked if she had her key before discovering that her phone was still charging in their walk-in closet.
Mr. Koletti stuck a bright pink post-it to her phone, along with a pair of earrings as a surprise gift for his returned wife.
“Melissa I no (sic) our love is deeper than possessions (sic),” he wrote.
“Thought you might like one of your Christmas (sic) early. All my Love.’
Despite telling police shortly after she disappeared that his wife consistently went for a run outside in the morning, Koletti can’t remember the last time that happened.
Melissa Caddick’s husband sent her several text messages (pictured) the morning she disappeared before discovering she’d left her phone in their walk-in closet
Koletti will continue to testify on Wednesday after defense counsel accused him of several inconsistencies in his evidence on Tuesday.
He told counsel assisting Jason Downing SC that on the morning of her disappearance in November 2020, he assumed Ms. Caddick had gone out to play sports.
Despite Koletti telling police it was typical for Mrs. Caddick to go for a jog outside in the morning, CCTV footage later revealed a different picture.
“Isn’t it true that Mrs. Caddick hadn’t gone jogging or walking once the month before?” Mr Downing asked him.
“Yeah, that’s right, she jogged on the treadmill before that,” Mr. Koletti said.
Inconsistencies in his story continued to unravel Tuesday, when the court played an interview on 7News’ Spotlight, where Koletti claimed he was writing music until 4 a.m.
Anthony Koletti (pictured during his wife’s inquest this week) will continue with his evidence on Wednesday
But he told the inquest that he slept with his wife before waking up later because of his sleep apnea.
“The report you give to the media is clearly different from what you said today,” said Mr Downing.
‘Is the?’ said Mr. Koletti.
When asked what had changed, Mr Koletti said he had “sit down and had the proper time to find out the truth to make it easy to understand.”
Despite getting $150,000 for the Spotlight interview, Koletti said his answers were not written or rehearsed.
He said he has always been honest, but admitted there may have been times when his “cables were crossed” because of his concerns and concerns.
Within a year of moving to London with her first husband, Melissa Caddick (pictured) had returned to Australia and had moved in with Anthony Koletti.
He insists he had no idea his wife was defrauding family and friends out of millions of dollars, nor did he ask her why the Federal Police or ASIC suddenly ransacked their house in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
“Does the truthful answer depend on who asks and why?” said Mr Downing.
“No,” said Mr. Koletti…
“Are there many truths?” said Mr Downing.
“There is one truth,” said Mr. Koletti.