Former Melbourne adviser Robert Street has been committed to stand trial in the County Court of Victoria in June on five counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception, all linked to a Nigerian letter scam. Mr Street, 58, pleaded guilty to all charges.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) alleges that between April and August 2002, Mr Street obtained over $700,000 from several clients by misrepresenting the nature and risk of the purposes for which their money would be used. The regulator claims he transferred the money to various overseas destinations after receiving a proposal from a person purporting to be a representative of a Nigerian government committee.

ASIC alleges this person offered to transfer US$65 million to Mr Street on payment of certain up-front fees – a ploy widely known as the Nigerian letter scam.