In "explosive testimony" before National Rugby League salary cap investigators, Jason Irvine and Scott Seward have admitted to "what amounts to theft and fraud in an attempt to honour under-the-table deals for cash payments" to Parramatta Eels rugby league payers, according to McClymont & Proszenko of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Former Eels CEO Seward and former Football Manager Irvine have admitted to the NRL that "players were paid in cash, which was removed from the takings of club's merchandise sales." Telling investigators about removing funds from merchandise sales before the proceeds were banked, Irvine said, "You know cash is king." The pair also "admitted to participating in a scheme in which two suppliers were told to inflate invoices to the club." When the club paid the invoices, one supplier returned the inflated amount by way of cash, "which Irvine personally collected." Another supplier "paid the money received from the inflated invoices into Irvine's credit union account." Irvine then withdrew the cash and handed it to Seward, who paid cash to whichever player "was hammering him the most" (SMH, 7/11).
PROSTITUTION BLACKMAIL: In Sydney, Brent Read reported a key figure in the Parramatta salary cap scandal told NRL investigators he "feared he was going to be the subject of blackmail attempts after rumours emerged of visits to prostitutes and employees being groped on the Eels’ fact-finding mission to Seattle." Deputy Chair Tom Issa spoke to Integrity Head Nick Weeks and Senior Investigator Karyn Murphy in April. In his interview, Issa confirmed "officials had become suspicious of invoices that the NRL alleges were used to circumvent the salary cap by generating cash which was paid to players and managers." Issa said, "We found that the invoices looked like they had been tampered with, so that was alarming. That wasn't something that I had seen previously." Asked why he had contacted one of the club’s key suppliers on his return from Seattle, Issa said, "But that wasn’t around invoices, that was around blackmail. So there’s been some allegations that I’ve gone on a trip, Seattle trip, and there’s been groped employees and prostitutes and all kind of shit. So I just wanted to know where that was coming from" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 7/13).
DISMISSING CONCERNS: Also in Sydney, Read & McDonald reported NRL CEO Todd Greenberg has "dismissed concerns over his objectivity in the Parramatta salary cap scandal" and conceded that the evidence of Seward and Irvine "should be approached with caution." Greenberg provided a reference for Seward "when he joined Parramatta and Eels officials were concerned Greenberg’s judgment might be affected given their previous working relationship." Parramatta has "since called for Greenberg to remove himself from the decision-making process." Greenberg: "The club appears to be suggesting that I am not capable of bringing an independent mind to this determination given what is suggested to be some relationship that exists between me and Seward. I do not wish to respond to this other than to say that I have no such difficulties" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 7/13).
