A Supreme Court judge has likened an investigation into a lawyer to a Monty Python sketch.
Melbourne solicitor Alan Munt spent ten years ripping off retirees, trust funds and charities to support a Ponzi scheme, until he reported himself in 2009. But despite trying to turn himself in to the Law Insitute of Victoria while carrying binders full of evidence proving his guilt, Munt wasn't charged for another five years.
Justice Betty King said the LIV, the Legal Services Board and the police had "shunted" Munt's case around "like a football" and asked, "are you sure this isn't Monty Python?" Instead of moving on to something completely different, King reiterated that the case was "really Python-esque in its nature, and expressed disbelief that the investigation had taken so "incredibly long" considering Munt had provided all the evidence himself.
In her judgment King said that the mess was "an absolute indictment on all of the organisations", adding "You should all be ashamed of yourselves". Munt, who invested over $5m of other people's money trying to keep his scheme alive, pleaded guilty to 26 charges relating to the fraud, and will be sentenced in due course because he is not the Messiah, he is a very naughty boy.
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Melbourne solicitor Alan Munt spent ten years ripping off retirees, trust funds and charities to support a Ponzi scheme, until he reported himself in 2009. But despite trying to turn himself in to the Law Insitute of Victoria while carrying binders full of evidence proving his guilt, Munt wasn't charged for another five years.
Justice Betty King said the LIV, the Legal Services Board and the police had "shunted" Munt's case around "like a football" and asked, "are you sure this isn't Monty Python?" Instead of moving on to something completely different, King reiterated that the case was "really Python-esque in its nature, and expressed disbelief that the investigation had taken so "incredibly long" considering Munt had provided all the evidence himself.
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Her comments were but a scratch |
In her judgment King said that the mess was "an absolute indictment on all of the organisations", adding "You should all be ashamed of yourselves". Munt, who invested over $5m of other people's money trying to keep his scheme alive, pleaded guilty to 26 charges relating to the fraud, and will be sentenced in due course because he is not the Messiah, he is a very naughty boy.