$250m ‘Ponzi’ accused Veronica Macpherson cops ASIC ban

[Ulquiorra]

THE financial net has tightened further around accused Ponzi princess Veronica Macpherson — who stands accused of owing more than $250 million to thousands of investors in her failed Pilbara property scheme — after she was permanently banned from providing financial services.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission this morning released a statement saying they had found that Ms Macpherson, once the head of the Macro Realty Group, “had engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct”.

“ASIC found that in relation to Ms Macpherson’s involvement with the development and promotion of the Newman Estate Project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia …. that she was not of good fame or character, that she had engaged in dishonest conduct,” the corporate regulator said.

Notably, ASIC also said they believed Ms Macpherson “was involved in a contravention of financial services laws”.

No criminal charges have yet been laid against Ms Macpherson, who at the height of her influence used pictures of herself dining with former premier Colin Barnett, and former WA Nationals Party leader Brendon Grylls on social media.

ASIC said its investigation is ongoing, and that Ms Macpherson has the right to appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of their decision.

Ms Macpherson was declared personally bankrupt in March.