Victim tells how fraudster accountant Ray Walker's greed destroyed his family's 'safe world'

Our safe world has been destroyed. Our security ripped from underneath us. 

Plans for a comfortable retirement, a few nice holidays and inheritance for our children, are all gone.

Ray Walker’s fraud was aided by the failure of the relevant governing bodies and big banks to properly scrutinise the activities and audit superannuation trust fund account transactions. 

We feel let down by the all of the so-called watchdog authorities including the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the Australian Taxation Office, banks, the police and the judicial system. 

The Walker family has enjoyed a very comfortable lifestyle while we, the victims, struggle with marriage breakdowns, loss of the family home, loss of a comfortable retirement, loss of health as well as being forced back to work well into senior years. 

We live in an unfinished, semi-renovated property that does not comply with building regulations. Our forever home, which we are now forced to sell to fund our retirement, but cannot sell until completed, but cannot be completed because we have no money to pay for the remaining renovations. 

The pain and stress has caused physical and mental illness that has impacted on our marriage, our health, our happiness and subsequently our children and family. The stress and worry causes insomnia which snowballs with more health problems. 

Due to a chronic illness, I was medically retired. During the stress of the diagnostic process we were trying to focus on positives - looking forward to accessing our superannuation then enjoying a few nice holidays with our family, while still being healthy enough to do so. 

After being diagnosed in 2014, I went to Ray Walker and asked to withdraw my money beacuse I wanted to take some holidays with my wife while my health was good. He told us we shouldn’t move it, that it was safe with him.

Then to be told it has all been stolen, to have everything - your financial and emotional security ripped out from underneath you is cruel beyond belief. 

A lifetime of hard-earned savings gone. Instead of self-funded retirees we will now become reliant on a government pension and housing. 

The daily, gut wrenching worry and stress of why? How will we survive? What will we do now? It never ceases.