Australia Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, June 1997 #10

[BonnieB]

PART ONE - IMO

RB meets Marion, probably at the Art Centre or such like place. Gets to know her over a few weeks or months and he listens and takes inventory! She has a dream of the Orient Express and is obviously worth the effort so he enforces that dream with promises of a romantic new life in Europe. Marion is now at her most vulnerable.

RB Rents a larger house at WOLLONGBAH (about 45min drive west from Ballina on a gravel road) children are at Ballina school and attending swimming after school. (family away from the house for predictable long periods of time) A container of furniture arriving soon after moving would not arouse suspicion.

May 16 They plan their escape from reality. MARION BARTER changes her name to FLORABELLA NATALIA MARION REMAKEL (with or perhaps, without his knowledge)

Jun 2 Marion's house was sold within 4 weeks, at $20k loss, the mortgage on the house was discharged, and Marion opens a high performing interest earning account with a $5k per day withdrawal limit. On this day she transfers $20k to an overseas Barclay Bank for her holiday which has remained untouched.

Jun 16 Marion resigns, quickly packs her belongings which are shipped either to a place of his choosing or direct to Wollongbah. Sally sees the secret man in Marion's car.

Jun 17 RICHARD LLOYD WESTBURY departs Brisbane 5 days before Marion on JL airlines. Passenger card says he intends to spend 30 days in Belgium. He tells her he has important financial business to attend to in Belgium and will call her in UK.

Jun 22 FLORABELLA NATALIA MARION REMAKEL departed Brisbane for UK.

Abt. Jul 7 Marion sends cards and gifts home during next few weeks. She indicated for at least some of the time she was travelling alone - she'd hired a sml car to carry her luggage. She was planning to visit Jane Austin's house and to be in Amsterdam on 15th July for her booked Orient Express trip. Cards were sent from Brighton, Sussex, London, Alfordson & Tunbridge Wells. All seemed well.

 

[Estelle]

PART ONE - IMO

RB meets Marion, probably at the Art Centre or such like place. Gets to know her over a few weeks or months and he listens and takes inventory! She has a dream of the Orient Express and is obviously worth the effort so he enforces that dream with promises of a romantic new life in Europe. Marion is now at her most vulnerable.

RB Rents a larger house at WOLLONGBAH (about 45min drive west from Ballina on a gravel road) children are at Ballina school and attending swimming after school. (family away from the house for predictable long periods of time) A container of furniture arriving soon after moving would not arouse suspicion.

May 16 They plan their escape from reality. MARION BARTER changes her name to FLORABELLA NATALIA MARION REMAKEL (with or perhaps, without his knowledge)

Jun 2 Marion's house was sold within 4 weeks, at $20k loss, the mortgage on the house was discharged, and Marion opens a high performing interest earning account with a $5k per day withdrawal limit. On this day she transfers $20k to an overseas Barclay Bank for her holiday which has remained untouched.

Jun 16 Marion resigns, quickly packs her belongings which are shipped either to a place of his choosing or direct to Wollongbah. Sally sees the secret man in Marion's car.

Jun 17 RICHARD LLOYD WESTBURY departs Brisbane 5 days before Marion on JL airlines. Passenger card says he intends to spend 30 days in Belgium. He tells her he has important financial business to attend to in Belgium and will call her in UK.

Jun 22 FLORABELLA NATALIA MARION REMAKEL departed Brisbane for UK.

Abt. Jul 7 Marion sends cards and gifts home during next few weeks. She indicated for at least some of the time she was travelling alone - she'd hired a sml car to carry her luggage. She was planning to visit Jane Austin's house and to be in Amsterdam on 15th July for her booked Orient Express trip. Cards were sent from Brighton, Sussex, London, Alfordson & Tunbridge Wells. All seemed well.

I'm waiting with baited breath for Part 2!

 

[xdfg]

Pardon me if this has already been mentioned, but has anyone been able to verify whether Marion voted in subsequent elections since her disappearance? If she didn't, did she get fined? If she did, is there a record of where the vote was lodged?

 

[Carovb5]

I think from my spreadsheet and insight into Mr.AKA, I've worked out his plan for Marion. There are a few ?? but I think I've nailed it!

Are you willing to share it? You made me curious!

 

[BonnieB]

PART TWO IMO

RB calls Marion - he's been held up in Belgium with some fanciful business reason. She should meet him in Amsterdam instead.

Marion couldn't access her Barclays account due to ID issues and couldn't open an account to have the balance of her money transferred either due to no permanent address. RB's plan was unravelling.

RB had planned for Marion (and her bank accounts) to meet him in Amsterdam prior to their Orient Express trip. First she would withdraw a large amount for their trip. Then, possibly in some remote place, Marion and her money & bankcards would soon be parted (another mugging or worse) FERNAND REMAKEL would disappear into thin air.

Now, RB had to think on his feet. Convince Marion to postpone their trip on the Orient Express while she travels back to sort out the banking issues. He books her a flight to Brisbane on 2nd AUG and uses his own return flight for 31st JUL. He tells Marion he will try to tie up his loose ends in Belgium and meet her at the Novatel Hotel. He needs a couple of days head start.

AUG 1 MARION phoned Sally. She said she was in Tunbridge Wells at a pay phone. THIS WAS HER LAST CALL. She said she'd postponed her Orient Express trip. She'd been to Harrod's and travelled the tube in London. She also said she was busy sightseeing and not to expect contact for a while. Marion was more likely to have been at Heathrow Airport.

AUG 2 MARION aka FLORABELLA REMAKEL arrived Brisbane - coming for 8 days. Status: married: housewife, Luxembourg. Staying at Novatel Brisbane.

RB meets Marion at the airport. It's her birthday so he wanted to surprise her by getting back early. He has a car (possibly rented in another name) waiting. He tells Marion he has a special birthday surprise and she happily leaves with him. Marion and her money are never seen again.

 

[LEO123]

PART ONE - IMO

RB meets Marion, probably at the Art Centre or such like place. Gets to know her over a few weeks or months and he listens and takes inventory! She has a dream of the Orient Express and is obviously worth the effort so he enforces that dream with promises of a romantic new life in Europe. Marion is now at her most vulnerable.

RB Rents a larger house at WOLLONGBAH (about 45min drive west from Ballina on a gravel road) children are at Ballina school and attending swimming after school. (family away from the house for predictable long periods of time) A container of furniture arriving soon after moving would not arouse suspicion.

May 16 They plan their escape from reality. MARION BARTER changes her name to FLORABELLA NATALIA MARION REMAKEL (with or perhaps, without his knowledge)

Jun 2 Marion's house was sold within 4 weeks, at $20k loss, the mortgage on the house was discharged, and Marion opens a high performing interest earning account with a $5k per day withdrawal limit. On this day she transfers $20k to an overseas Barclay Bank for her holiday which has remained untouched.

Jun 16 Marion resigns, quickly packs her belongings which are shipped either to a place of his choosing or direct to Wollongbah. Sally sees the secret man in Marion's car.

Jun 17 RICHARD LLOYD WESTBURY departs Brisbane 5 days before Marion on JL airlines. Passenger card says he intends to spend 30 days in Belgium. He tells her he has important financial business to attend to in Belgium and will call her in UK.

Jun 22 FLORABELLA NATALIA MARION REMAKEL departed Brisbane for UK.

Abt. Jul 7 Marion sends cards and gifts home during next few weeks. She indicated for at least some of the time she was travelling alone - she'd hired a sml car to carry her luggage. She was planning to visit Jane Austin's house and to be in Amsterdam on 15th July for her booked Orient Express trip. Cards were sent from Brighton, Sussex, London, Alfordson & Tunbridge Wells. All seemed well.

The $20,000 transferred to Barclays Bank in England has a balance around $14,900, and was sent back to CBA. Can be found doing an ASIC search of unclaimed money. Anyway some money has been withdrawn, and it would be useful to know what those transactions were and when. I’m thinking $5000 withdrawal…… and maybe some fees over the years before being returned to CBA…… Unless I’ve missed some info on this account

 

[BonnieB]

The $20,000 transferred to Barclays Bank in England has a balance around $14,900, and was sent back to CBA. Can be found doing an ASIC search of unclaimed money. Anyway some money has been withdrawn, and it would be useful to know what those transactions were and when. I’m thinking $5000 withdrawal…… and maybe some fees over the years before being returned to CBA…… Unless I’ve missed some info on this account.

If I remember correctly, Sally said it had never been accessed. The missing money is fees and charges over time.

 

[LEO123]

If I remember correctly, Sally said it had never been accessed. The missing money is fees and charges over time.[/QUOTE
Really, that’s a lot of fees. I know her superannuation hasn’t been touched. I guess it’s a long time and adds up

 

[ruby925]

PART TWO IMO

RB calls Marion - he's been held up in Belgium with some fanciful business reason. She should meet him in Amsterdam instead.

Marion couldn't access her Barclays account due to ID issues and couldn't open an account to have the balance of her money transferred either due to no permanent address. RB's plan was unravelling.

RB had planned for Marion (and her bank accounts) to meet him in Amsterdam prior to their Orient Express trip. First she would withdraw a large amount for their trip. Then, possibly in some remote place, Marion and her money & bankcards would soon be parted (another mugging or worse) FERNAND REMAKEL would disappear into thin air.

Now, RB had to think on his feet. Convince Marion to postpone their trip on the Orient Express while she travels back to sort out the banking issues. He books her a flight to Brisbane on 2nd AUG and uses his own return flight for 31st JUL. He tells Marion he will try to tie up his loose ends in Belgium and meet her at the Novatel Hotel. He needs a couple of days head start.

AUG 1 MARION phoned Sally. She said she was in Tunbridge Wells at a pay phone. THIS WAS HER LAST CALL. She said she'd postponed her Orient Express trip. She'd been to Harrod's and travelled the tube in London. She also said she was busy sightseeing and not to expect contact for a while. Marion was more likely to have been at Heathrow Airport.

AUG 2 MARION aka FLORABELLA REMAKEL arrived Brisbane - coming for 8 days. Status: married: housewife, Luxembourg. Staying at Novatel Brisbane.

RB meets Marion at the airport. It's her birthday so he wanted to surprise her by getting back early. He has a car (possibly rented in another name) waiting. He tells Marion he has a special birthday surprise and she happily leaves with him. Marion and her money are never seen again.

Good summary! I am inclined to think MB emptied her own bank accounts before she met her fate, if at that point she had not rumbled the scam, MOO obviously.

 

[BonnieB]

I could be mistaken but I think my theory still holds up.

 

[ruby925]

I had a dormant account in UK and when I eventually caught up with it years later, the account had a zero balance, emptied by fees ...although we are not talking about a large sum of money....

 

[BonnieB]

Good summary! I am inclined to think MB emptied her own bank accounts before she met her fate, if at that point she had not rumbled the scam, MOO obviously.

Yes, that's a hard one. If it was Marion, why not transfer the lot to Barclays. Seems like a lot of effort for WHAT? Then, if it was Marion, how was she planning to leave the country with $80k cash? Still working on this part.

 

[LEO123]

Yes, that's a hard one. If it was Marion, why not transfer the lot to Barclays. Seems like a lot of effort for WHAT? Then, if it was Marion, how was she planning to leave the country with $80k cash? Still working on this part.

I think the Problem with Barclays account was that it was in Marion Barters name and her Passport was in Remakel so she didn’t have the ID to get money out there, so no point in her transferring more to that account.

 

[ruby925]

Yes, that's a hard one. If it was Marion, why not transfer the lot to Barclays. Seems like a lot of effort for WHAT? Then, if it was Marion, how was she planning to leave the country with $80k cash? Still working on this part.

So IMO if her Aus bank accounts still in MB name, essentially close them down by emptying, leaving no trail, then plan to open new account in passport name of FNMR..but she never got the chance to do that once her assets were in cash...?

 

[LEO123]

So IMO if her Aus bank accounts still in MB name, essentially close them down by emptying, leaving no trail, then plan to open new account in passport name of FNMR..but she never got the chance to do that once her assets were in cash...?

This is the big question. Beginning to feel like it wasn’t Marion who came back to Australia. RB has an incredible history of forgery, fraud and impersonation. He definitely needed an accomplice to complete withdrawal of the money though.

 

[BonnieB]

So IMO if her Aus bank accounts still in MB name, essentially close them down by emptying, leaving no trail, then plan to open new account in passport name of FNMR..but she never got the chance to do that once her assets were in cash...?

I like your reasoning there. Perhaps, she twigged before sorting the Barclays account.

 

[BonnieB]

So IMO if her Aus bank accounts still in MB name, essentially close them down by emptying, leaving no trail, then plan to open new account in passport name of FNMR..but she never got the chance to do that once her assets were in cash...?

But would she have had enough ID points in the Remarkel name to open a new account? Passport only? I guess that point is moot.

 

[Pineconemind]

Suspicious disappearance of Marion Barter - NSW Police Public Site

Inquiries also revealed that following her disappearance, an unknown person appears to have accessed a bank account belonging to Marion.

Very interesting.

 

[Meligator]

Just had a thought. We know of RBs legal name changes in AU by deed poll. Is there a similar process in Belgium:UK etc? Is it possible he has another long list of legal, (but different names than the ones we know) name changes?

 

[ruby925]

Under Belgian law, marriage does not have any effect on the spouses' surnames. You keep the surname that you had before you were married.
I have read this before, but it does give reason as to why MB changed her name to FNMR if her intention was to start a new life with FNR.