Anthony Koletti, the husband of missing fraudster Melissa Caddick, has been acquitted over allegations that he knocked a 73-year-old woman to the ground at a Sydney park.
The 44-year-old hairdresser and part-time DJ appeared at Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday, where he faced one count of common assault after previously entering a not-guilty plea.
Koletti is married to Caddick, the self-described financial adviser who disappeared in November 2020 and is presumed dead. She was accused of defrauding relatives and friends of approximately $23 million.
Prosecutors alleged Koletti shoulder-barged Julie Brandon as she walked her dog with a friend through a clifftop park in Vaucluse, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, in July 2025.
However, Judge Scott Nash ruled the prosecution had not established beyond reasonable doubt that Koletti deliberately or recklessly collided with Ms Brandon, The Australian reported.
“I don’t know enough about how this collision or strike occurred to make any finding as to his state of mind,” Judge Nash said.
Koletti did not speak to reporters as he left the Sydney court on Tuesday afternoon.
The court had previously heard that Ms Brandon was allegedly hit from behind and fell onto the ground.
Anthony Koletti is pictured at Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday after being cleared over allegations he shoved an elderly woman to the ground
Koletti, pictured right, is the widower of missing fraudster Melissa Caddick, pictured left, who disappeared without a trace in November 2020
Giving evidence in June, Ms Brandon said she was suddenly struck from behind before losing her balance.
“All of a sudden, this person barged into my shoulder and then I fell over onto the ground,” she told the court.
She said she landed heavily on her left buttock and was left shocked by what had happened.
Ms Brandon called out to Koletti, but alleged he continued walking without stopping.
Her friend at the time, Ericka Van Aalstem, was also walking with her, although she told the court she did not witness the alleged impact.
The court also viewed bodycam footage recorded during Koletti’s police interview.
In the footage, officers showed Koletti several photographs and asked whether he recognised the man pictured.
“Yeah … that’s definitely me, yep,” he responded.
He then appeared confused, asking: “Wait a minute … what actually happened?”
Julie Brandon, pictured with her husband, alleged Anthony Koletti pushed her to the ground while she walked her dog in a Vaucluse park in July 2025
Koletti was charged a day after police released an image of a man they wanted to speak with about the alleged assault on a 73-year-old woman in July 2025
An officer explained to Koletti that a woman had alleged he knocked her over and ‘just kept walking’.
‘I mean I had my earphones on … I wouldn’t be able to hear them,’ Koletti replied.
He repeatedly denied any knowledge of the allegation.
‘It’s news to me,’ Koletti added.
The court heard that Koletti believed police wanted to speak to him about his wife’s belongings after he was invited to the station by the officer leading the investigation into Caddick’s disappearance.
However, he was instead taken into an interview room by two other officers and questioned about the alleged assault.
‘I would have called a lawyer if I had known,’ Koletti told the court.
‘I had no idea, I was shocked.’
Caddick, 49, disappeared in November 2020, days after her luxury home in Sydney’s affluent eastern suburbs was raided by ASIC agents investigating her $23 million Ponzi scheme.
The fraudster’s detached right foot, still attached to a running shoe, washed up on a beach on the NSW south coast in February 2021.
Coroner Elizabeth Ryan ruled in May 2023 that Caddick was dead but was unable to determine the cause because most of her body had not been found.
There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Koletti in relation to his wife’s death.
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