Mentally ill man fleeced by mail-order bride scheme denied control over his own finances A tribunal has refused a mentally ill man's application to regain control of his financial affairs. A MENTALLY ill man who was fleeced of $118,000 in a "mail-order bride" internet scam has been declared incapable of managing his own financial affairs. The man, 55, told a tribunal that he was still "looking for a lady on the internet," as he applied for a declaration that he had capacity to manage his own financial decisions. He also admitted that when he was unwell he had lost $150,000-$200,000 via the internet. Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal heard the man had been admitted to a Brisbane hospital's mental health unit under an involuntary treatment order in 2011. In January last year, after he had been discharged, QCAT appointed the Public Trustee as administrator of his financial affairs. Four months after the involuntary treatment order was revoked the man applied to the tribunal for a declaration that he had capacity to make decisions about financial matters. A hospital psychiatric registrar reported in 2011 that the man, then being treated for bipolar affective disorder, had a history of substance abuse and noncompliance with medication. She said when manic the man overspent, took risks and was vulnerable to financial exploitation. But the tribunal also heard from his GP, who said he could make informed decisions about all aspects of his life, and his treating psychiatrist, who said he could manage his financial affairs. The psychiatrist said the man, now diagnosed with substance-induced mood disorder with comorbid generalised anxiety disorder, had completely recovered his normal level of function. The man told the tribunal that he had not used alcohol for nine months, he was sticking to recommended treatment, taking daily medication and he felt fully recovered. The tribunal heard he received about $10,000 a month from income protection insurance and his assets included a superannuation fund of $101,000. The man said he paid most of his daily living expenses and lived frugally. However tribunal member Julia Casey expressed concern that the man was still seeking companionship via the internet, although he was still vulnerable to financial exploitation. She said he had not shown he could manage large sums of money and budget. Ms Casey found that, due to his mental illness, the man could not understand the nature and effect of decisions about financial matters and refused his application.