Former AFL player Phil Egan, who has previously denied any wrongdoing, appeared at court in Melbourne on Monday
MVAC’s executive business manager, Mary Khouri, provided information about Egan’s active management style while he was employed there.
Phil used to visit the office and have conversations with us. She said, “Phil was in charge of the establishment.
Days have passed since Egan’s business Binmada’s work on the study that investigated allegations of past racism at Hawthorn Football Club was brought back into the public eye.
Cyril Rioli, the winner of the Norm Smith Medal, was one of several former players who sued the team in federal court earlier in August.
Indigenous former athletes have said they were told to give up their aspirations to start families and were exposed to a “racist culture” as a result of the 2022 study.
A former AFL player who wrote Hawthorn’s dramatic racism report is accused of stealing almost $800,000 from the Indigenous organisation he worked for.
Phil Egan has previously denied any wrongdoing. He was contracted by the Murray Valley Aboriginal Co-operative, near Mildura, between 2010 and 2015, working as chief executive and chairman.
He appeared at Melbourne magistrates court on Monday in the first of a five-day committal hearing after being hit with dozens of fraud charges 12 months ago.
The 61-year-old earned more than $680,000 plus a contract termination or bonus payment of more than $140,000 for the services he provided.
But court documents allege Egan received a further $779,000 secretly gained from 52 supplier invoices paid by the organisation for more than $911,000 worth of work.
He has been charged with 73 offences including obtaining financial advantage by deception from the co-op and using false documents.
Murray Valley Aboriginal Co-operative’s chief executive, Paul O’Neil, told the court the organisation entered administration two years before he joined in 2017.
The work of two forensic accountants and pressure from board members prompted him to hand police a 19-page document outlining Egan’s alleged fraud in August 2018.
“When I took control, our finances weren’t in a very good position,” he said.
“The board wanted this to be investigated in the criminal space.
“The issue was never off my desk because my board members were relentless in making sure it was followed through.”
MVAC’s executive business manager, Mary Khouri, provided information about Egan’s active management style while he was employed there.
Phil used to visit the office and have conversations with us. She said, “Phil was in charge of the establishment.
Days have passed since Egan’s business Binmada’s work on the study that investigated allegations of past racism at Hawthorn Football Club was brought back into the public eye.
Cyril Rioli, the winner of the Norm Smith Medal, was one of several former players who sued the team in federal court earlier in August.
Indigenous former athletes have said they were told to give up their aspirations to start families and were exposed to a “racist culture” as a result of the 2022 study.
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