The wife of a professional poker player charged over a $100 million fraud case is likely to face the same committal hearing as her husband because their alleged offending was similar in nature, a court has heard.
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Prosecutor Jonathan Manning told Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday that Suzanne Jordanou had used the same "modus operandi" in offending as her husband, Bill, even though she was not part of the fraud case he faced.
Ms Jordanou, 54, is charged with one count of obtaining financial by deception in that she this year allegedly secured two loans worth $1.1 million from Westpac Bank through the use of false documents and information.
Mr Manning said although Ms Jordanou was not charged with the same offences as her husband, she should face the same committal hearing given the similarities in offending and to avoid witnesses having to give evidence twice.
Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg agreed and said it might be necessary for the first part of the committal hearing to be devoted to the charge against Ms Jordanou, before the hearing focused on Mr Jordanou and co-accused Robert Zaia and Scott Arthur.
The three men are charged over an alleged $100 million fraud, spanning almost a decade, that resulted in the Commonwealth Bank foreclosing on the homes of alleged victims despite the bank having been alerted to the alleged scam.
Police had gathered 600 exhibits and 90 witness statements during a two-year investigation, the court was told.
Mr Jordanou, 56, and Mr Zaia, 50, each face more than 140 charges including obtaining financial advantage by deception, obtaining property by deception, perverting the course of justice and the theft of a Mercedes-Benz worth $69,000. Mr Arthur, 44, faces 139 similar charges.
Ms Jordanou and the three men are scheduled to return to court on October 20. A lawyer has filed a defamation lawsuit against Fairfax Media on behalf of Mr Jordanou and Mr Zaia.
