Peter Foster: Serial Australian conman linked to the Blairs found after six months on the run

Peter Foster cheated a Hong Kong man of A$1.7m from April 2019 to January 2020

Peter Foster has previously been charged for high-profile scams, including Britain’s ‘Cherigate’ scandal (TORSTEN BLACKWOOD/AFP/Getty Images)

Serial Australian conman Peter Foster was arrested by Australian police in Melbourne on Tuesday.

The 59-year-old conman has previously been charged for high-profile scams, including Britain’s “Cherigate” scandal involving former British prime minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie Blair in 2002. He had helped Ms Blair buy property at discounted rates.

Mr Foster now faces multiple criminal charges, including those of Bitcoin fraud for allegedly cheating a Hong Kong man of A$1.7m (£900,00) from April 2019 to January 2020 and receiving tranches of the money.

His arrest comes more than six months after he failed to appear at a Sydney court for a hearing.

He had carried out the alleged online fraud by faking his identity and calling himself William “Bill” Dawson. As he remained untraceable for the last six months, authorities declared him to be a fugitive.

He was found “living comfortably” at a hobby farm in a rural area in Victoria, Australian federal police assistant commissioner Nigel Ryan told The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.

Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Nigel Ryan speaks to the media during a press conference in Canberra, Australia on 7 December 2021 (EPA)

Upon seeing police officials, Mr Foster attempted to flee the premises but he could “not get past the back door,” Mr Ryan said.

“During the execution of the search warrant, Mr Foster did try to run from the premises, but he was quickly apprehended,” he told the paper.

The assistant commissioner added that the fugitive tried to evade the police and on being cornered, he said he had a medical condition. He has been taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where his medical condition is being assessed, Mr Ryan said.

The authorities were able to pin down Mr Foster with the help of the “big four” banks – the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the National Australia Bank, Westpac and ANZ – who shared information that was instrumental in helping authorities locate the man.

“It appears that Mr Foster has probably been there [at the property] for a good amount of time,” Mr Ryan said.

Without sharing details of the investigation, Mr Ryan said “obviously, the tracing of financials and those types of things are very instrumental in all investigations where we can trace money back to individuals”.

Mr Foster was first arrested in 2020 in Queensland where he was charged with 16 counts, including five counts of publishing false and misleading material to obtain advantage, 10 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and one count of dealing with proceeds of crime knowingly with intent to conceal.

He was also under strict bail conditions that required him to wear an electronic ankle bracelet, surrender his passport and not leave the country. He was also banned from using the internet or mobile phones.

After he failed to turn up for a hearing at the Sydney Downing Centre local court, the Queensland police issued a fresh warrant for his search which concluded with his arrest on Tuesday this week.