Marion Joan Pearson: Financial advisor accused of stealing $4.1m from clients seeks bail to Denmark property

A former financial advisor accused of stealing $4.1m from clients in Perth plans to apply for bail to her Denmark property and may plead not guilty to some of her 136 charges. Marion Joan Pearson allegedly thieved the cash from 13 customers between January 2009 and October 2013, and returned to New Zealand in July 2014, soon after the corporate watchdog began investigating. She fought her extradition for years but was returned to WA in 2025 and faced Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court via videolink from Bandyup Prison on Wednesday. The 71-year-old’s lawyer David MacKenzie said Legal Aid had been granted to his client and flagged she may fight at least some of her charges. He said he’d discussed the possibility of Ms Pearson applying for bail with the Crown and called for a home detention report. Mr McKenzie said he would probably apply for “ordinary, restrictive” bail, however, proposing Ms Pearson would reside at her south coast property. Her next court appearance has been scheduled for March 18 but the bail application may be brought on earlier if the home detention report arrives sooner than expected.