The Australian Securities & Investments Commission announced that Dimitrios (James) Podaridis, Peter Delis, Bassilios (Bill) Floropoulos and Harry Tsalikidis, all from Victoria, have been charged with money laundering offences linked to an alleged fake investment scheme that offered fraudulent bonds and other products to Australian investors between January and July 2021. ASIC alleges they dealt with victim funds that were the proceeds of crime and were reckless as to whether the funds were proceeds of crime, but it does not allege they directly operated the underlying scam. ASIC alleges the scam used fictitious investment comparison websites and Facebook advertisements to attract investors, who were then contacted by telephone and/or email and provided with high-quality fake branded prospectuses and other documents mimicking those of major financial services providers. The fictitious offerings reportedly ranged from 1 to 10 years with fixed returns between 4.5% and 9.5% per annum; victim funds were allegedly deposited into Australian bank accounts operated or controlled by Podaridis, Floropoulos or Delis and then transferred to offshore bank accounts or crypto exchanges. ASIC further alleges Tsalikidis engaged in similar conduct and aided, abetted, counselled or procured the others; Podaridis and Floropoulos each face 28 charges, Tsalikidis 12 charges, and Delis 8 charges for dealing in proceeds of indictable crime under the Criminal Code, with the matter being prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions following an ASIC referral. The matter is listed for committal mention on 30 October 2025.

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