News Businesses owned by Chris Anderson, Kevin Moore go bust

Spoonman84

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Rugby League legend Chris Anderson has stood down from the Canterbury Bulldogs board following the collapse of three businesses owing millions of dollars and a personal tax penalty of $1.4 million.

Anderson, who won premierships as a player and coach of the Bulldogs, served as the director of the three labour-hire companies alongside fellow ex-Bulldogs coach and player Kevin Moore, the son of the late club patriarch Peter Moore.

But all three have been placed into liquidation owing millions, and liquidators have not been able to find records relating to skilled workers on 457 visas who were sponsored to stay in Australia.

Liquidators have submitted a confidential report to authorities recommending legal action be taken against unnamed employees of the company.

Anderson claimed yesterday his business had fallen victim to a “sophisticated scam” and he was preparing to pursue the perpetrators in the NSW Supreme Court.

“The sad fact is we put our faith and trust in a few people within and outside the business who, it now seems clear, were acting for their own benefit,” Anderson said. “Unfortunately by the time we discovered the truth it was too late to save the business.”

The 67-year-old former coach said he and Mr Moore were not the subject of the liquidator’s report forwarded to authorities.

“The liquidators have confirmed that I and other directors are not the primary source of its investigation,” he said.

Anderson stood down from the Bulldog’s board two weeks after the Sunday Telegraph began investigating his role in the collapse of his businesses.

Asked if he was pushed from the position, Anderson said: “No, not at all.”

He said he was forced to step down to focus his attention on his ailing businesses.

“I was busy trying to rebuild the company,” he said. “We’re going through the right channels to sort this out.”

Anderson lives in a $3.5 million beachfront home at Cronulla Beach, which records say is owned by his wife Lynne, who is chairman of the Bulldogs and CEO of the Australian Para Olympics, as well as being the sister of Mr Moore.

According to company documents filed with ASIC the three stricken companies are Anderson Recruitment and Training, ART Labour Hire and AM Labour Hire, which liquidators reports said collapsed with debts of $4 million, $2 million and $5 million respectively.

Anderson declined to comment on whether the debts overlapped between companies.

“It’s in the hands of liquidators, mate, I can’t be discussing that,” he said.

However, he said the financial issues were in the process of being settled.

“I’ve been advised the remaining unsecured creditors are just me and the ATO, and we are challenging the basis on which the tax fees are being sought.”

Moore could not be reached on Friday.

According to the Anderson Recruitment and Training website, Anderson established the operation in 2009 with 53-year-old Moore. This was two years after his last NRL head coach position with the Roosters and a decade after he steered Melbourne Storm to its maiden premiership win.

Based in Liverpool, in Sydney’s southwest, the company was a labour hire operator that specialised in sponsoring foreigners with 457 visas, which are issued to skilled workers, who were then outsourced to a range of industries, including building and construction.

But there are now questions about how many visa holders the company employed, with liquidators unable to find records relating to them when they took control of the business on June 11.

Just last year the business appeared to be thriving with five offices including Sydney, Brisbane and Victoria.

Its website boasted the company was the winner of the 2018 Local Business Awards Professional Services category, while Mr Moore was a finalist in the Business Person of the Year category.

But just over a year later a different picture has emerged. The liquidators report produced for Anderson Recruitment and Training showed the company was in financial disaster.

The report, circulated on September 11, said the company owed more than $4.2 million to a range of creditors.

Riad Tayeh of firm dVT Group, the liquidator who wrote the report, said in the document he did not believe any money would be recovered to repay the creditors.

“Based on the recoveries made to date, there are insufficient funds to pay a distribution to any class of creditors,” Mr Tayeh wrote.

The report also said the company had been referred for investigation by corporate regulator ASIC.

“The offences committed will be disclosed in our confidential report to ASIC,” the report said.

One of the biggest problems for the liquidators was getting hold of the company’s books and financial records.

After being denied access to records on the company’s IT provider, the liquidator’s report said it called in “assistance” from ASIC, which gave a July 8 deadline to hand over the information.

Earlier in the report, Mr Tayeh noted a “considerable lack of books and records” relating to money owed to the company and “accordingly, there was no certainty as to the recoverability of these debtors”.

It was a similar story for the company’s records relating to the 457 visa holders it managed, and the liquidators said in the report that they “notified the Australian Taxation Office and Border Force Australia”of their difficulties.

“The lack of records to date have not allowed us to determine the exact number of employees currently sponsored by the company,” the report said. “We have been advised there may be up to 200 individuals sponsored by the company.”

An unknown number of the visa workers claimed they were owed $273,229 in unpaid wages, the report said.

The liquidators were also appointed to a second associated company run by Anderson and Moore registered at the same Liverpool office, known as Art Labour Hire, which ASIC documents said owed more than $2 million to creditors.

This came on the same day as their appointment to Anderson Recruitment and Training. The matter has been referred to ASIC and the ATO.

However, the liquidation of a third company, AM Labour Hire, which began in July last year, targeted Anderson and Moore personally.

According to the liquidator’s report filed with ASIC last December the company owed creditors $5.3 million and “experienced pressure from the ATO”, which was owed $3.4 million.

The report raised concerns about allegations of insolvent trading by Anderson and Moore to the value of $3.7 million.

“We issued a demand to the directors requesting payment of the balance and received a response from the directors solicitors disputing the claim,” the report said.

Asked if the claim was still in dispute, Anderson said: “No comment”.

The report also said Anderson had been slapped with a director penalty notice by the ATO that “resulted in him being personally liable” for $1.4 million.

Asked if he paid the amount or if it was still in dispute, Anderson replied: “You would have to talk to the lawyer about that.”

He declined to provide the name or details of the lawyer.

Liquidators for Art Labour Hire and AM Labour Hire said in their reports it was uncertain if any money will be paid to creditors.

The next creditors meeting for Anderson Recruitment and Training and Art Labour Hire will be held tomorrow at dVT’s Parramatta Office.

Calls to Mr Tayeh were not returned.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/n...t/news-story/170553252805c5cca821ac447bc4b234
 

Spoonman84

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I’m not sure how easily stuff like this can be written off if you declare bankruptcy but Opes sounds like he is in deep shit. At least he stood down before Rothfield finally got hold of this even though it’s been floating around for months....
 
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Natboy

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Unfortunately there are so many scammers around and I hope he’s able to turn things around. He did the right thing by standing down if he couldn’t devote enough time on the club
 

Docta

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Who cares it’s his personal life and wish him the best hope he gets out of it. Not a good place for anyone to be in.
Mate, people should care. It reflects on his ability to run a business and his integrity as a person.

I was disappointed to hear he stepped down as director on the footy board but now I don’t want him anywhere near the dogs.

0ne liquidation is bad luck. Successive liquidations leaves a lot to be desired especially when it’s a simple solution to not pay others what their owed.
 

Natboy

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Mate, people should care. It reflects on his ability to run a business and his integrity as a person.

I was disappointed to hear he stepped down as director on the footy board but now I don’t want him anywhere near the dogs.

0ne liquidation is bad luck. Successive liquidations leaves a lot to be desired especially when it’s a simple solution to not pay others what their owed.
Did you read the article?
 

Rodzilla

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this sounds highly dodgy, especially 3 businesses and that they are very similar or identical

but buzz is definitely out to get him, those minuscule quotes are a dead give away

its like if im trying to write an article about buzz being a rapist, I would interview him then piece together a story by saying that he "likes having sex" and finds it "annoying" when his woman denies him sex
 

Nano

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this sounds highly dodgy, especially 3 businesses and that they are very similar or identical

but buzz is definitely out to get him, those minuscule quotes are a dead give away

its like if im trying to write an article about buzz being a rapist, I would interview him then piece together a story by saying that he "likes having sex" and finds it "annoying" when his woman denies him sex
Don't some places set up multiple business that do the same thing just for reach and options for the consumer but to still be the business that gets the job?
 

GrogDog

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Yeah as usual we will never know the truth of it but as long as he is no-one near books or any financial decisions at the dogs then ok. Keep to what you know mate, footy.
 

Kempsey Dog

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Trying to distance himself from the club as to not effect the elections. Hopefully it doesn't bring negativity the club doesn't need... I'm sure journalists will be over it every step of the way
 

c-b-b

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I think we probably have to wait for the facts to come out in time.

People can claim all types of things such as scams if they are trying to protect themselves.

The article also says there's issues getting access to the companies paperwork and records which doesn't work in Anderson and Moore's favour.

I get people love certain identities connected to the club but sometime we need to take the bulldogs goggles off and see things for what they are.
 

doggieaaron

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Very sad when this happens to people at an age they shouldn’t have to worry about finances
 

Özil

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As much as I like Anderson and what he has done for us as a player and coach, the best thing he can do is be far away from the club as possible with this mess he is in.

This is definitely not a very good look for Anderson and this could go against his in the upcoming board election next year.
 

TABOO

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this sounds highly dodgy, especially 3 businesses and that they are very similar or identical

but buzz is definitely out to get him, those minuscule quotes are a dead give away

its like if im trying to write an article about buzz being a rapist, I would interview him then piece together a story by saying that he "likes having sex" and finds it "annoying" when his woman denies him sex
Most of the time, related businesses with common directors have related party loans between the companies/individuals.
They often just a means of minimizing tax and distributing profit etc but they sit on the balance sheet.
That is why one of the comments say that the only unsecured creditors are 'The ATO and me'.
This is why if one business fails, then its highly likely that the other 2 will also.

Not to say this is the reason for the collapse of the group but it might explain why the issue wasnt isolated to one company.
 

_G-Dog_

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The biggest question for the club now is who is steering the ship?

Its not Lynne, Its not Steve Price and its not CEO..

We really need someone to step up and lead this club moving forward..CA had that type of role but now has left..

its a big job, it will take time as we have started from scratch on and off the field.. but we need to find the right guy who has a passion for the club to take the bull by horns and lead us forward..

The board and CEO will play there role but we need to find that Bullfrog type character that is competent and can be trusted and can be a mainstay at the club regardless of election and boardroom changes..

Thats what I think our club needs most for longterm success..
 

Kempsey Dog

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The biggest question for the club now is who is steering the ship?

Its not Lynne, Its not Steve Price and its not CEO..

We really need someone to step up and lead this club moving forward..CA had that type of role but now has left..

its a big job, it will take time as we have started from scratch on and off the field.. but we need to find the right guy who has a passion for the club to take the bull by horns and lead us forward..

The board and CEO will play there role but we need to find that Bullfrog type character that is competent and can be trusted and can be a mainstay at the club regardless of election and boardroom changes..

Thats what I think our club needs most for longterm success..
I want Graeme Hughes in a higher position... either that or Gould even though people hate him
 
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