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Ex-detective, son to face trial for fraud

Cheryl GoodenoughAAP
Former detective Michael Featherstone has been committed to stand trial for fraud.
Camera IconFormer detective Michael Featherstone has been committed to stand trial for fraud. Credit: AAP

A former detective and his son have been committed to stand trial accused of being part of a boiler room scam that involved 12 people allegedly swindling victims of more than $20 million.

Michael John Featherstone and Zach Michael Featherstone are charged with fraud and money laundering over their involvement in the alleged scam the prosecution argues raked in millions of dollars from hundreds of victims between 2011 and 2014.

In Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday, the 58-year-old father and his 27-year-old son were committed to stand trial following a hearing in July.

It brings to 12 the number of people committed to stand trial accused of fraud involving at least $23 million.

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They include Married at First Sight reality television show groom Daniel Webb.

It is alleged the scammers ran a call centre, referred to as a boiler room by police, involving sales people pressuring unsuspecting victims to invest money thinking they would make good returns.

Victims were allegedly cold called and offered investments in products or packages that did not exist.

Police allege companies would disappear to be rebranded and replaced by another entity that continued to operate the apparent scam.

The others also committed to stand trial are Kirsty Maria Lester, brothers Patrik Rasmus Goransson and Charlie Mikael Goransson, Nicholas John Forbes, Travis Charles Burch, Robert John Doueihi, Natchamon Srisunanrat, Douglas Owen Traynor and Jason Troy Trouchet.

They are set to face a Brisbane District Court trial on a date yet to be decided.

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