Life is a mix of depression and determination for the families whose lives were shattered two years ago when Barry Kloogh’s Ponzi scheme was exposed.
Depression because for many their life savings were irretrievably stolen by a man they trusted, and their hopes and dreams went with them.
Determination because they do not want Kloogh’s depredations to wreck their lives, and because they do not want anyone else to go through the pain they have gone through.
"I absolutely loathe the guy," Mr A* said.
"Barry Kloogh has ruined our lives in so many ways, and also our trust in people."
Mr and Mrs A had all their life savings stolen, a six-figure sum, by Kloogh as part of a Ponzi scheme he had run for much of the 30 years they had a dealt with an adviser who they trusted and had befriended.
That sum represented the As’ retirement savings and at age 70, after just 18 months’ well-earned rest, Mr A — who is also battling cancer — has had to return to the workforce.
"I consider myself pretty lucky that my cancer is under control, enough to allow me to work.
"However it is an ongoing stress to know when this will change and I can no longer work: we live from blood test to blood test."
Mr B has exactly the same concerns: another retiree, he is now having to drive a taxi to make ends meet.
"The odd night when I manage to earn just $50 or $60 does test my resolve, so I’m forever thankful that my partner of 12 years still has a good job for the times being as they are."
Kloogh was an authorised financial adviser, a status which should have ensured his clients’ security but which ultimately provided no protection against determined and deliberate theft.
"Ponzi operators have been taking advantage of this situation for years and I regrettably believe that only a revolution of some sort will change this," Mr B said.
"I am still very hesitant about approaching another ‘financial planner’."
Vanya Thurston, who helped set up an investors support group, said all Kloogh’s victims were still affected by the case in many ways.
"It’s been a lifetime sentence for most and still weighs so heavily on each person’s day-to-day life.
"Kloogh appealing [unsuccessfully] was for some of the clients worse as they then relived a lot of the grief that they were already dealing with, and the chance of no reparation was very disheartening and tragic for all but especially those who have no ability to generate an income."
Karyn Churcher became for many the public face of all those Kloogh stole from, after telling the story of how Kloogh visited her dying husband to secure his life insurance money.
Chris Churcher died just days before Kloogh was confronted by the authorities, and Mrs Churcher — whose husband’s life insurance payout was part of the $700,000 Kloogh stole from her family — is still fighting for all investors to have greater government protection for their assets.
"I still have trouble believing it was all real, such loss and worry in an already stressful time," she said.
"At times I look back and wonder how I made it through it all, and it really was family, close friends, and the kindness of people, some I had never met until this happened, that helped," she said.
She is still frustrated, still has many unanswered questions, and still wants to know why the selfish acts of one man should be allowed to wreck the lives of so many others.
"I have met many of the victims of Barry’s fraud in the last two years, all everyday lovely people who saved for their retirements, worked hard.
"Many now don’t know what that looks like for them, with no ability to earn the extra money lost.
"His theft was also intergenerational. This has impacted both me and our children. It has been hard to not be able to support them as both Chris and I had planned."
Mrs C said she had tried to move on from the theft, but that was not an easy task.
"We’re not going to get our money back so I don’t want to let it consume the rest of my life," she said.
"He stole our money, he’s not going to steal my health by dwelling on it and stressing over it."
The couple have had to sell a property to replace their stolen savings, and Mrs C’s husband has had to defer retirement to try to replace some of what was lost.
"My husband is angry that the system allowed Barry to manipulate it ... when we first invested our money with Barry we felt reassured that there had been checks and balances put in place so this sort of thing couldn’t happen as it had in the past.
"I don’t think anything has changed and it’s probably still happening."
Mrs D is still on medication for anxiety and depression, a direct result of her family’s savings having been stolen by Kloogh.
"We are coping OK but we don’t eat out, we don’t go to any shows and we haven’t been to any movies.
"We live on a very strict monthly budget and both of us have had part-time work, something we did not imagine happening when we were of retiring age."
Like many of those suffering because of Kloogh, the Ds try not to think about what happened to them, but it comes to the surface frequently: "we see something we would like to do and then realise we can’t."
Ms E said she still wished every day that she had not succumbed to Kloogh’s repeated requests that she continue investing through him.
"I know it’s only money ... but all those years of hard work for nothing is a bitter pill to swallow."
She now has to be more careful of the day-to-day expenses, and having finally managed to rebuild a small savings account is not sure she wants to touch it.
"I often think how I’m going to manage when I finally give up work, if I need hospital care, and where’s that coming from," she said.
"Early retirement now a dream ... I just hope he is sitting contemplating the extremity of his crime."
Mr A said Kloogh had left so many people with so little but, conversely, he had also been a reminder of a greater truth.
"It has made us realise what we do have: a great marriage, a very supportive family and good friends.
"He couldn’t take these things away."
*The identities of many of those who invested with Barry Kloogh have been suppressed by the court.