FORMER Murray Valley Aboriginal Co-operative chief executive Phillip Egan is accused of secretly pocketing almost $800,000 from supplier invoices paid by the Robinvale-based organisation.
In court documents released to the media on Friday, police claim Mr Egan received $779,246 of $911,534 that was meant for suppliers between 2010 and 2015.
The amounts were based on 52 invoices for work supplied to MVAC for various projects of which Mr Egan received most of the funds in his personal or business bank account, according to a Victoria Police summary tendered to Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
The summary said MVAC board members understood Mr Egan to be contracted in good faith to perform the leadership roles at MVAC, however were unaware of the concealed payments received by him through other contractor’s invoices.
Mr Egan was contracted by MVAC from 2010 to 2015 to perform the duties of CEO, executive consultant and chairman.
During that period he was paid $682,212, as well as a contract termination/bonus payment of $141,564.
An original complaint was made to police in October 2018, however due to its complexity, it was referred to the financial crime squad in September 2020.
The 60-year-old former Richmond forward appeared in court for a filing hearing to face 73 charges including obtaining financial advantage by deception, using a false document and secret commission.
The court was told that while it was too early to speculate about the strength of the case against Mr Egan, the matter may not reach conclusion for up to two years if contested by him.
Both Mr Egan’s defence counsel and the prosecutor opposed the public release of the initial police summary.
His defence counsel said the document did not properly encapsulate the alleged offending which involved a “number of moving parts”.
“There is a possible prejudice there in terms of it doesn’t fully flesh out everything that is alleged, allowing everybody to deal with it in full detail,” the counsel argued.
“The nature of this case is one that’s much more complex.
“It (the summary) is narrow in nature, it doesn’t fully give an explanation of what … all the issues are.”
The counsel said the matter had a level of “interwoven aspects” and was “significant” in its complexity.
However, Magistrate Peter Reardon said it was accepted that summaries varied over time and to not release the material could be seen to be a “de facto suppression order”.
Mr Reardon said the material was non-inflammatory and not prejudicial any more than a person being charged and brought before the court.
“Summaries vary … this is the early stage of the proceeding,” he said.
“Who knows what the strength of the case will be until the hand-up brief is prepared and served.”
In a statement released by Mr Egan late Friday, he said that given his involvement in the Hawthorn cultural safety review, the timing of the allegations and charges deserved questioning “to say the least”.
“The attempts in this process to crush my reputation and diminish my resolve has failed,” he said.
“In fact, my resilience and strength has grown throughout and in time, the truth will be revealed.”
Prosecutors have until September 15 to serve a brief of evidence on Mr Egan’s solicitors before a committal mention hearing on October 30.
Mr Egan has not been required to enter a plea, but has previously denied “any wrongdoing or any activities which has been reported in the media”.
Mr Egan was recruited to Richmond from Robinvale and made his senior debut in the opening match of the 1982 season aged 19.
He played nine seasons with the Tigers and one at Melbourne before returning to Sunraysia to play four seasons with Red Cliffs from 1991 to 1994.
More recently, he was the author of an explosive Hawthorn Football Club report into racism.
