The writer of an explosive report into allegations of racism on the Hawthorn Football Club has confronted court docket for the primary time after Victoria’s fraud squad introduced he could be charged with greater than 70 legal prices.
Former Richmond Tigers participant Phil Egan, 60, appeared earlier than the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday for a submitting listening to over allegations he stole from an Indigenous organisation between 2010 and 2015.
Mr Egan, who has beforehand denied any wrongdoing, appeared relaxed and calm as he sat chatting along with his authorized group within the physique of the court docket earlier than the case was known as.
Last week, Victoria Police introduced Mr Egan had been charged with 73 offences, together with acquiring monetary benefit by deception, utilizing false paperwork, and receiving secret commissions.
The prices relate to his time because the chief govt of the Murray Valley Aboriginal Collective – a not-for-profit organisation that gives a spread of applications dedicated to enhancing well being and welfare of Aboriginal folks in Robinvale.
According to paperwork launched by the court docket, police allege Mr Egan “secretly gained” virtually $780,000 from the organisation by way of fraudulent invoices submitted to the Collective, on prime and above the $823,000 he was paid.
An investigation was first launched in 2018 after the brand new chief govt Paul O’Neill filed a grievance alleging monetary losses sustained from earlier workers and contractors.
It’s alleged Mr Egan and others used their positions on the Murray Valley Aboriginal Collective to acquire monetary benefit that they weren’t entitled to.
He labored because the non-profit’s chief govt from 2010 to 2012 and was later contracted to supply companies as an govt marketing consultant from 2012 to 2014, the court docket paperwork allege.
Mr Egan, who performed 125 video games for Richmond from 1982 to 1990, was first arrested as a part of a fraud investigation in February, with police laying prices on August 3.
In court docket, his lawyer from Doogue and George, mentioned the case in opposition to his shopper had “significant complexity” with plenty of shifting components.
He mentioned it was potential the allegations might change considerably earlier than the case made it to trial.
Mr Egan authored a damning exterior evaluation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander folks’s experiences with the Hawks, after former premiership star Cyril Rioli went public with allegations of racism on the AFL powerhouse.
Mr Egan was granted bail on his personal enterprise to return to court docket for a committal point out on October 30.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
