Conman’s colourful life ‘set to become Netflix show’
Rex Martinich |
Notorious conman Peter Foster is pursuing a “very honest” Netflix series about his colourful life as he fights multiple fraud charges.
The self-proclaimed “international man of mischief” is hopeful of developing a show based on his epic autobiography, saying production houses were queuing up to tell his tale.
Wearing a cowboy hat outside a Gold Coast court, Foster said he was confident his latest charges would be dismissed as he looked to seal a Netflix deal.
The 63-year-old faces multiple fraud charges around $2 million in bitcoin investments into sports gambling.
Foster revealed he had been writing a 800,000-word autobiography after a decades-long history of fraud including weight loss tea scams in Australia and the UK.
“It will show the Netflix people that I’m not a one-trick pony,” he said of his autobiography, which he proudly claimed was longer than War and Peace.
“To those who have made up their mind that Peter Foster is Australia’s greatest conman, there’s nothing that will change their mind.
“We’ve had eight approaches now by very large production houses to do a series on (my autobiography).”
He said writing his autobiography had been therapeutic.
“I think it’s a very honest biography. I don’t try and rewire history. I admit every mistake I’ve made.”
Foster on Tuesday faced Southport Magistrates Court on five counts of fraud of at least $100,000 and one count exceeding $30,000.
He is also charged with obtaining two men’s identification with intent of committing an offence and producing false videos relating to his material interest.
“These charges in Queensland will get thrown out,” Foster said outside court.
Foster is accused of inducing a man in Port Douglas to transfer him GBP50,000 ($A101,000) in 2020.
He is also accused of inducing a second man on the Gold Coast to transfer digital currency in values exceeding $100,000 to a company called Sports Predictions Trading between November 2019 and January 2020.
Foster has yet to formally enter any pleas but has told the court he is “adamant he has not committed any offence”.
“He says his activities in support of the business referred to as Sports Predictions Trading were at all times legitimate, lawful,” Foster’s solicitor Chris Hannay stated in an affidavit.
“He was engaged to promote a genuine scheme in which returns were sought through the placement of wagers on international sporting events.”
Foster said the charges were linked to a failed NSW criminal case in which he was charged with allegedly defrauding millions of dollars in bitcoin before his dramatic, televised arrest on a far north Queensland beach.
Foster was awarded $170,000 from the NSW Police after a judge in March found his 2020 arrest at Port Douglas for Nine Network’s 60 Minutes program was not reasonable and proper.
“I’m probably the least likely person the judiciary would want to award damages to … it speaks volumes as to this was just a load of bollocks,” Foster said.
Foster has claimed $6 million for false imprisonment and malicious prosecution from the NSW matter.
“I’m sure they will settle,” he said.
The Queensland charges were “founded on the same factual allegations” as the NSW matter, Mr Hannay previously told the court.
Mr Hannay asked magistrate Jane Bentley for further time to await the outcome of a NSW Supreme Court application on November 24.
“We are anticipating the release of a number of documents which will hopefully finalise this matter once and for all,” he said.
Ms Bentley granted an adjournment to February 24 and continued Foster’s bail.
AAP
