Former adviser charged with stealing nearly $1.9m from clients

Anthony Paul Torre of Mosman Park in Western Australia has been charged with eight counts of fraud and five counts of stealing following an investigation by ASIC.

The corporate regulator alleged that Mr Torre stole or, with intent to defraud, obtained approximately $1.882 million from his clients between March 2010 and January 2015.

In a statement on Tuesday, ASIC alleged that Mr Torre used the funds he obtained from the accounts of his clients for his own benefit.

Mr Torre’s apparent LinkedIn profile alleges that he is currently employed as a corporate adviser at investment banking firm Brigg Macadam Australasia. However, this has been disputed. Namely, according to a report by The West Australian, Mr Torre could be “faking” Brigg Macadam credentials on LinkedIn.

ASIC’s AFSL database shows that Anthony Paul Torre was formerly an authorised representative of a number of firms including Pursuit Capital, Neo Financial Solutions, Dover Financial Advisers, Millennium 3 Financial Services, Consultum Financial Advisers and Deakin Financial Services.

However, it would appear that Mr Torre’s AFSL ceased in December 2016.

Mr Torre now faces possible imprisonment. According to the corporate regulator, the maximum penalty for each offence of stealing under the Criminal Code WA is seven years imprisonment, while the maximum penalty for each offence of fraud is seven years' imprisonment or 10 years if the person deceived is of or over 60 years.

The matter has been adjourned to 16 September 2022.

Jon Bragg

Jon Bragg is a journalist for Momentum Media's Investor Daily, nestegg and ifa. He enjoys writing about a wide variety of financial topics and issues and exploring the many implications they have on all aspects of life.