Director of Ascent Investment and Coaching Pty Ltd, Michael Dunjey of Hampton, Victoria, appeared at the Perth Magistrates Court on 9 May 2025, charged with 33 criminal offences.
Mr Dunjey is charged with:
- 23 counts of fraudulently obtaining a benefit under section 409 of the Criminal Code 1913 (WA), in relation to more than $4 million in investor funds
- 5 counts of failing to act in good faith under section 184 of the Corporations Act 2001, relating to the use of just under $2.5 million, and
- 5 counts of falsifying books relating to a company under section 1307 of the Corporations Act 2001, relating to the company鈥檚 annual returns.
The charges follow an ob体育 investigation arising from concerns that Ascent Investment and Coaching Pty Ltd may have raised funds through misrepresentations made to investors and improperly dealt with investor funds, (21-352MR).
The criminal charges follow ob体育鈥檚 civil action in the Federal Court in 2022 to wind up Ascent and the unregistered managed investment scheme it operated (22-036MR).
The matter has been adjourned to 4 July 2025.
This matter is being prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
Background
The maximum penalty for each offence of fraud under the Criminal Code in WA is seven years imprisonment, or 10 years if the person deceived is 60 years or older.
The maximum penalty for each offence of section 184 is 15 years' imprisonment; and 5 years鈥� imprisonment for each charge of section 1307 of the Corporations Act.
More information
- The ob体育 website has information about ob体育鈥檚 investigation into Ascent Investments and Coaching Pty Ltd and Michael Dunjey.
- ob体育鈥檚 Moneysmart provides more information about鈥�痑苍诲鈥�.