Revealed: The Parramatta Eels players getting paid dodgy cash

[chadiwrx]

IT is the secret document that the Parramatta Eels board and senior officials didn’t want anyone to see.

Now it is serving as the final nail in the coffin for the disgraced “Gang of Five” board members, mixed up in the Parramatta salary cap scandal.

Marked “strictly private and confidential”, the document is titled the “Undisclosed Payment Register”.

It details secret third party payments to 25 current and former Eels players over a five year period from the start of 2014 to the end of the 2018 season.

It records that the club guaranteed nearly $2.8 million in third party payments to players over the period.

The Daily Telegraph can today reveal all 25 players, including the team’s biggest names: Corey Norman, Semi Radradra, Joseph Paulo, Will Hopoate, Jarryd Hayne, the recently-departed Nathan Peats, Chris Sandow, Tim Mannah, and the recently retired Anthony Watmough.

But there is no suggestion the players themselves were aware of the board’s activities.

The Telegraph has previously revealed the existence of this Excel spreadsheet in its “Dodgy Deels” series that has been running since March 9, which the NRL’s Integrity Unit uncovered on the club’s computer servers during its forensic investigation that started soon after the stories appeared.

The document was based on two other documents already revealed by the Telegraph in an April 5 article: a June 2013 PowerPoint slide presentation called “TPA Strategy — Discussion Paper” and a Microsoft Word document known as the Commitments Schedule”.

Both are included in the NRL’s Breach Notice.

The Undisclosed Payment Register recorded an initial ledger from the Commitments Schedule that showed the club had already paid just over $200,000 in TPAs.

But much more was to come in guaranteed TPAs: $560,000 for 2014, $800,000 in 2015, $540,000 in 2016, $455,000 in 2017 and $225,000 in 2018.

It is understood that the Undisclosed Payment Register was initially created at the end of 2013, but was treated at the club as a “living document”, and continually updated for at least 18 months to take in newer TPAs such as those of Anthony Watmough.

Source

 

[chadiwrx]

Jarryd Hayne was the beneficiary of secret payments orchestrated by the Parramatta Eels, all hidden from the NRL

THE Parramatta Eels secretly arranged almost $500,000 in deals for failed NFL convert Jarryd Hayne since 2013, according to new revelations in an NRL breach notice against the club.

Official documents and boardroom minutes show a trail of salary cap discrepancies in the star fullback’s third party deals with the club from 2013 to 2015, cash payments, first class overseas travel and car expenses adding up to $465,000 — all hidden from the NRL.

When asked by reporters about the “secret deals” in London overnight, Hayne joked about the amount.

“Half a million, wow, must have been the wrong bank account. I haven’t seen it.”

When asked if he was aware of any off-the-record payments Hayne replied, “Not that I’m aware of, no”.

On an extraordinary day in which Hayne quit a US gridiron career to chase Olympic gold with Fiji’s Rugby Sevens team, the full findings of the notice against the Eels revealed:

* In a June 2015 meeting, board member Tanya Gadiel talks about the “f-word” — alleged “fraud” — in relation to one of the club’s many third party deals;

* The board and senior management is actively aware in multiple meetings about many individual illegal third party deals. For example, in December 2013, several members actively discuss the fact that the club had entered into a “side arrangement” with Hayne that was likely to be in breach of salary cap rules;

* In a June 2015 meeting, another board member Andrew Cordwell instructs the tape recorder be switched off when the group is in discussion about former Test forward Anthony Watmough and a third-party deal;

* The club compiled an undisclosed payments register in late 2013 and early 2014, which featured details of illegal commitments for multiple years; and

* At one board meeting former CEO Scott Seward compares the club’s salary cap crisis to other clubs’ past scandals, claiming it is “not the Bulldogs and it’s not the Melbourne Storm”.

The revelations follow a two-month NRL forensic audit that was prompted by a Daily Telegraph series of investigations that first established systematic cheating of the salary cap at the club.

Official documents and board room minutes show Hayne was secretly paid $465,000 which was officially recorded on a heads of agreement letter but never reported in the salary cap.

Legitimate third-party payments to players must be done on an arm’s length basis from the club. It is a breach of the salary cap rules if a club makes a payment on behalf of third parties.

There are no suggestions Hayne was aware his payments were contrary to NRL rules or that Hayne has done anything wrong.

From London Hayne said the Eels’ salary cap scandal was sad and disappointing when the side was doing so well, “not only finals bound but top four bound”.

“Us players have no idea what goes on behind closed doors.” He said the players’ duty was to go out and play and he had put his trust in his manager and the people who ran the club.

“I’m an athlete, not a manager.”

The bombshell revelations are part of the official NRL breach notice that has already cost the Parramatta Eels 12 competition points this season, forced Watmough into retirement and sent highly- rated hooker Nathan Peats to the Gold Coast Titans.

The documents show Hayne was guaranteed $15,000 in 2013, $225,000 in 2014 and $225,000 in 2015. Hayne announced his NRL retirement to pursue an NFL career in October, 2014.

The money was paid in various ways but a secret recording from Parramatta board minutes obtained by the integrity unit reveal he did not fulfil some sponsorship agreements and failed to turn up to some functions that were part of his deals.

Also, a car payment of $15,000 was made in 2014.

There was another $15,000 in travel expenses to Seattle where Hayne flew — in first class — that was paid for by the club but not disclosed in the salary cap.

In December 2014, Parramatta Leagues Club transferred Hayne $52,000 — $26,000 of that amount to his manager Wayne Beavis and the other half to a company called JH Promotion.

The breach notice also shows an awareness of the general rorting of the cap at the club. At one point in the June 2015 board transcripts, Gadiel talks about a payment made by a third party to Watmough, which was paid by the club through inflated invoices. Chairman Steve Sharp said the club was effectively paying the deal: “So she was going to increase her charges to us. So we are paying the third party deal.”

But Gadiel said: “Sorry, that’s the f-word, that’s fraud isn’t it. That is fraud.”

The documents show from the time of the appointment of Seward as CEO in September 2013, he was approached by player agents concerning payments that the club had committed to but remained unpaid.

The following discussion took place at a board meeting on December 10, 2013 to discuss the money owed to players but undeclared to the NRL following an approach by Beavis about a payment.

SEWARD: The consequences are enormous if we stuff it up, because it is what it is. It’s supposed to be arm’s length; it’s actually supposed to have nothing to do with us. So we’ve just got to make sure we do it the right way.

STEVE SHARP: Melbourne stuffed it up.

SEWARD: Melbourne stuffed it up, Canterbury stuffed it up, you know that’s ...

UNKNOWN: It’s important we do it right.

SEWARD: It’s important we do it right.

UNKNOWN: Because Jarryd is a real concern ...

SEWARD: Jarryd is a massive concern ...

The breach notice shows another six players, including Tim Mannah, Fui-Fui Moimoi and Chris Sandow, had third party deals not declared. There is no suggestion these players were aware their deals breached the rules or have done anything wrong.

Source

 

[pillow]

If this is all true, they cannot play for points for the rest of the season, and all their player contracts are to be torn up and renegotiated. The NRLol needs to show some balls here.

 

[Stinky Wizzleteats]

Yeah, Hayne knew nothing about it.

Was this known before or after the penalty was handed down?

 

[south of heaven]

Yeah, Hayne knew nothing about it.

Was this known before or after the penalty was handed down?

After lol so it makes the punishment more of a soft cock option

 

[FaceBreaker]

It's BS how the players deny all knowledge.

Surely if someone hands you a brown paper bag, makes a sudden payment in your bank account, gives you $50k of Harvey Norman vouchers or buys you a speedboat you have to be asking questions.

I'm still pissed how Melbourne Storm players got off Scott free, specially that woman beater Grog Inglis.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

It's BS how the players deny all knowledge.

Surely if someone hands you a brown paper bag, makes a sudden payment in your bank account, gives you $50k of Harvey Norman vouchers or buys you a speedboat you have to be asking questions.

I'm still pissed how Melbourne Storm players got off Scott free, specially that woman beater Grog Inglis.

That isn't the issue though.. The players are pretty much allowed to receive payments from sponsors, the issue is that the club organised these payments and were stupid enough to make a record of them.

 

[Rodzilla]

woot woot ben roberts got some adidas boots

 

[south of heaven]

It's BS how the players deny all knowledge.

Surely if someone hands you a brown paper bag, makes a sudden payment in your bank account, gives you $50k of Harvey Norman vouchers or buys you a speedboat you have to be asking questions.

I'm still pissed how Melbourne Storm players got off Scott free, specially that woman beater Grog Inglis.

Thats the player agreement " i lf we get caught i dont know anything ok "

 

[Lov_Dog]

who's the whistle-blower in all this ? disgruntled board member ?
ohhh it's so delicious .... when the cheating is so premeditated, why is the punishment so lax?

~c.

 

[FaceBreaker]

That isn't the issue though.. The players are pretty much allowed to receive payments from sponsors, the issue is that the club organised these payments and were stupid enough to make a record of them.

So what you are saying is the players are obliged to accept the payments knowing full well they are illegal ?

I don't buy this and players should not be allowed to play the innocent card. They have just as much obligation to the game to keep it clean as any administrator does. I'm not asking them to be super financially savvy but fair dinkum you have to be a clueless **** to not know someone handing you a brown paper bag of cash is dodgy.

 

[Boxer]

NRL a going to be hammered if they let parra play for points now how soft is that penalty now.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

So what you are saying is the players are obliged to accept the payments knowing full well they are illegal ?

I don't buy this and players should not be allowed to play the innocent card. They have just as much obligation to the game to keep it clean as any administrator does. I'm not asking them to be super financially savvy but fair dinkum you have to be a clueless **** to not know someone handing you a brown paper bag of cash is dodgy.

Seriously, get over the brown paper bag of cash lol. That doesn't even happen, plenty of easier ways to move money around these days.

You miss the point, player payments from an outside source are not illegal, so why wouldn't the player take what they are getting? Simple as that. Why should the player be to blame when it is clearly the clubs issue?

 

[FaceBreaker]

Seriously, get over the brown paper bag of cash lol. That doesn't even happen, plenty of easier ways to move money around these days.

You miss the point, player payments from an outside source are not illegal, so why wouldn't the player take what they are getting? Simple as that. Why should the player be to blame when it is clearly the clubs issue?

They play in the NRL. Essentially the game is about them.

Morally they have an obligation to maintain the best interests of the game and taking payments outside of what they are contractually oblidged as a player is against this.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

They play in the NRL. Essentially the game is about them.

Morally they have an obligation to maintain the best interests of the game and taking payments outside of what they are contractually oblidged as a player is against this.

Them taking the money is simply not illegal, so there is nothing more for the players to look at, that is how the system works. Clubs can actually arrange 3rd party payments up to a set amount of $$$, is every player expected to know how much each player is earning out of that set amount? No. So why would every player know what they are getting is illegal?

Not every player in the game knows they are getting illegally paid, but yes im sure some do. But the point is thay this all falls on the club as they are the one thats deliberately cheated and arranged all these illegal payments.

 

[Stinky Wizzleteats]

Don't forget they were going hard for Folau in 2012/2013.

 

[pillow]

As much as I want to blame the players - we can't. It's the clubs fault, the directors that are arguing in court now to save their skins should be ashamed of themselves. Hopefully they get busted down hard. Unfortunately the players will cop the worst punishment ie loss of points/not playing finals, and ultimately the destruction of their playing group.

 

[blueyedsamurai]

Don't forget they were going hard for Folau in 2012/2013.

Ricky Stuart was even attending church services just to harass Folau into joining the Eels.

 

[The DoggFather]

If you get paid in cash along with your wages, you wouldn't ask about the cash?

Please, the players knew what is happening.

I hope the ATO gets involved and Parra is demolished

 

[The DoggFather]

Hayne probably knew shit will hit the fan and fucked off to the States.