The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has commenced action in the Federal Court seeking orders to restrain Spice Capital Partners Pty Ltd and its founder and Chief Executive Officer, Colin Oxlade, from engaging in unlicensed financial services activity.

ASIC alleges that Spice Capital and Mr Oxlade have carried on an unlicensed financial services business and have provided unlicensed financial product advice to investors and potential investors.

The regulator also claims that Spice Capital and Mr Oxlade raised at least $1.45 million from investors in just six months between February 2024 and July 2024 for purported investments in gold salvage operations from shipwrecks in the Solomon Islands and the refining of high-value mineral sands located on Queensland properties.

In 2017, ASIC banned Mr Oxlade from being a director for four years following the liquidation of two companies of which he was a director.