Former Manly Sea Eagles sponsor gets 10 years jail for cocaine supply

Vlasnik

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By Kate McClymont
March 6, 2020 — 6.28pm

A former high-flying entrepreneur, who allegedly supplied cocaine and prostitutes to Manly rugby league players, has been sentenced to a maximum of 10 years' jail for supplying commercial quantities of cocaine.

Robert "Robby" Melhem, 46, rolled his eyes and said "f--- me," as District Court Judge Antony Townsend handed down his sentence on Friday.


Robby Melhem has been jailed for selling drugs in an undercover sting.

Melhem, once a sponsor of the Manly Sea Eagles through his now-failed mobile phone company, was arrested on August 17, 2017, after selling cocaine to an undercover police officer.

Ten days before his arrest Melhem sent the officer a text on an encrypted BlackBerry: "Mate I just got 22 loose vacuum sealed Pure mother pearl kegs. (Cooks 97%) u can have for $185,000. Can give u tonight and pay me next week."

Over the next few days Melhem supplied the officer with five kilograms of pseudoephedrine, a precursor chemical used to make ice, and more than two kilos of cocaine, which were in brick shaped packages wrapped in plastic with a ‘Red Bull’ symbol stamped on them.


Robby Melhem supplied an undercover officer with two "bricks" of cocaine with a Red Bull stamp.

He was arranging to supply another 10 kilograms of pseudoephedrine and more cocaine when he was arrested at Bicentennial Park, Homebush. Police also seized 22 kilograms of cocaine, bearing the same Red Bull insignia, from an apartment in Pyrmont.

Melhem's fall from grace has been dramatic. He was once a sponsor of Manly and at one stage, a prospective buyer. Sources have told the Herald that during his sponsorship of the NRL club, which finished several years ago, Melhem was supplying cocaine and prostitutes to some players as well as making cash payments to some in breach of salary cap regulations.

Melhem was such a popular figure at the club that it was at his harbourside mansion with its tennis court and swimming pool that the family, teammates and supporters of Brett Stewart gathered in September 2010 to celebrate the Manly star's acquittal of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.


Escort agency "7th Heaven Escorts" listed its business address at Melhem's five-bedroom Kirribilli home, which he sold in March 2014 for $6.7 million.


Robby Melhem, right, with Brett Stewart after Manly's 2008 grand final over Melbourne.

In retirement former Manly captain Ben Kennedy and Melhem went into a property development venture on the outskirts of Cairns and, in more recent years, Melhem was offering to help Anthony Watmough with business opportunities.

It is not suggested that Stewart, Watmough or Kennedy were involved in any wrongdoing in connection with Melhem.

Melhem also had a number of colourful business partners including brothel owners, bikie gang members and convicted cocaine dealer Joe Frangieh, with whom Melhem was involved in a Queensland property company.


Frangieh’s father was murdered in a drive-by shooting in 2003. However, police said at the time the targets were his drug-dealing sons Raymond and Joe.

At the time of Melhem's arrest, two of his closest family friends offered to put up bail for him. One was Frangieh’s sister Sonia and the other was Frangieh’s wife, Sharon.


Robby Melhem's Kirribilli mansion was also the business address of 7th Heaven Escorts.

Melhem received a non-parole term of six years and three months. He is due to be released in November 2023, having been in jail since his arrest in 2017.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw...-over-major-cocaine-bust-20200306-p547ol.html
 

Psycho Doggie

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How does this line up with Deslers movements? When he left Seagles, was this moron still involved with them?
 
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Alexander the Great

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Looks like they finally got Robby a beauty. Drug dealers will never learn to keep low key and drive a camry like the Chinese
 

Motorhead

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He went one further than doing the Eagle Rock. He was selling the Eagles rock. Wonder if he even managed to somehow get Georgie Rose a root?
 

Dingo

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Bet he had all the sea eagles flying high.
 

Daustin

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undercover payments to players yet no investigation?
 

Wahesh

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A former high-flying entrepreneur, who allegedly supplied cocaine and prostitutes to Manly rugby league players, has been sentenced to a maximum of 10 years' jail for supplying commercial quantities of cocaine.

Robert "Robby" Melhem,
I stopped reading there.

Bloody Arabs...
 

KambahOne

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It's that prevalent you can buy cocaine at your local IGA on the North Shore. It's between the flour and the party supplies.
 
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