Latest news with #Elsom
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Rocky Elsom's father reveals update on ex-Wallabies captain who remains in HIDING overseas after international arrest warrant
The father of former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom has confirmed his son is 'safe and well' - despite an international arrest warrant being issued for the 42-year-old in March following alleged misuse of corporate assets when previously president of French club Narbonne. Robbie Elsom - aged 80 - then revealed why he is eyeing off a stint in politics as the One Nation MP for the seat of Ryan in Brisbane 's west ahead of Saturday's federal election. In an extensive interview with Daily Mail Australia, Elsom snr said he had been in contact with the 75-Test veteran, but for obvious reasons remained tight-lipped on his current whereabouts. 'He is doing OK, is safe and well, but will remain in hiding,' he said of the high-profile fugitive. 'If you look at his (court case) it was like a boxing bout, but he won the first round following an acquittal. 'A number of the charges were thrown out, which is crucial. 'Rocky desperately wants to clear his name, but as you can understand, these things take time. 'He is completely innocent, they (French government) had to point the finger at someone.' Earlier this year, the decorated ex-Wallabies skipper was sentenced to two years in prison by a French court for allegedly misusing corporate assets during his time as club president of Narbonne between 2015 and 2016. He was also fined 100,000 euros ($A172,346), with half the sum suspended. Elsom went on trial for allegedly embezzling club funds by making unjustified expenditures to pay a coach or a general manager who was living in Australia at the time. He was acquitted on charges of forgery and use of forgery but was ordered to pay 230,000 euros ($A396,396) in compensation to the club's liquidator. His lawyer Yann Le Bras appealed the outcome. During a trial in February, the prosecutor requested a three-year prison sentence and a fine of 630,000 euros ($A1.1 million). In a previous trial in October last year, Elsom was sentenced to five years in prison, but did not attend the hearing. Elsom has been the subject of an international arrest warrant since that conviction. As permitted by French law, Elsom requested to be retried with legal representation. He had been living in Ireland since August 2024 and fled the country after an international arrest warrant was issued against him. He denied any wrongdoing and said that under his leadership Narbonne was in a healthy financial position. '(Narbonne) achieved solid profits, had good sporting results, and remained in Pro D2 (the second tier of French rugby) until 2016 and beyond,' he said in a statement in October. 'It seems that I have been targeted as a scapegoat for the future mismanagement of this famous rugby club.' Narbonne went into liquidation in 2018 and now competes in the third-tier Fédérale league. The 42-year-old said in an interview four months ago on YouTube that he left immediately with only a single backpack when he found out that Ireland was legally obliged to extradite him to France. Meanwhile, his father Robbie Elsom will contest the seat of Ryan in Brisbane's west on Saturday as a One Nation candidate When he gave the interview to Mark Bouris from a hidden location, he said he had not been informed there was a public trial in October. 'This is a really important part of it. I didn't know a court case was on and there was no possible way for me to know,' he said. Meanwhile, his father Robbie Elsom will contest the seat of Ryan in Brisbane's west on Saturday as a One Nation candidate. The father of nine has no background in politics, but wants 'the nation to be better run.' 'I've been involved in business since I was 18, and I've never seen Australia in a worse state,' he said. 'From the cost of living, immigration, petrol prices, house properties being out of simply have to change.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Australia captain Elsom gets two-year jail sentence
Former Australia rugby union captain Rocky Elsom has received a two-year prison sentence after being found guilty of misusing corporate assets while president of French club Narbonne. The 42-year-old, who was also fined 100,000 euros (£84,141) by the French court - with half of that sum suspended - was convicted in absentia on Friday. An international warrant has been issued for his arrest, with his whereabouts unknown. Elsom, who made 75 appearances for his country and also won the Heineken Cup with Leinster in 2009, took charge of the club in the south of France in 2015-16 and has previously denied any wrongdoing. He received an initial five-year prison term in October 2024, but was retried following an appeal. At the October 2024 trial, which he also did not attend, Elsom was found guilty of forgery, use of forgery and misuse of corporate assets. The forgery charges were dropped from the 2025 trial, but the former has to pay compensation of 219,760 euros (£184,904) to the club's liquidator. The public prosecutor had requested three years' imprisonment and a 630,000 euros (£529,411) fine for Elsom. Narbonne have won the French rugby championship twice and finished runner-up three times. But the club went into liquidation in 2018 and now competes in the third-tier Federale league. Blindside flanker Elsom captained the Wallabies from 2009 until 2011, having made his debut in 2005. He was also named man of the match when he helped Dublin-based club Leinster win the 2009 Heineken Cup alongside Ireland greats Johnny Sexton and Brian O'Driscoll. Elsom had been living in Ireland since August 2024, but fled the country after an arrest warrant was issued against him last year.
Reuters
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Former Australia captain Elsom sentenced to two years in jail in France
PARIS, March 14 (Reuters) - Former Australia rugby union captain Rocky Elsom was sentenced to two years in jail after a French court on Friday found him guilty of misusing corporate assets while president of French club Narbonne. Elsom, 42, who was at Narbonne from 2013-16, was convicted in absentia and an international warrant has been issued for his arrest. He was also ordered to pay a 100,000 euros ($108,870.00) fine, with half the sum suspended, a ruling from the Narbonne court showed. In February, the public prosecutor had requested three years' imprisonment and a 630,000 euros fine for Elsom, who was retried after appealing an initial five-year prison sentence handed down in October 2024. He has denied the charges. At the October 2024 trial, which he also did not attend, Elsom had been found guilty of forgery, use of forgery and misuse of corporate assets. The forgery charges were dropped from the 2025 trial but Elsom has to pay compensation of 219,760 euros to the club's liquidator. A powerful blindside flanker, Elsom played 75 tests for the Wallabies and captained the team from 2009 until just before the 2011 Rugby World Cup. ($1 = 0.9185 euros)
The Guardian
14-03-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom handed two-year jail sentence in France
The former Australia rugby union captain Rocky Elsom was sentenced to two years in prison by a French court on Friday, for misusing corporate assets during his time as the club president of Narbonne. Elsom was also fined €100,000 (A$109,000) with half of that sum suspended. The 42-year-old did not appear in court; his whereabouts are currently unknown and a French arrest warrant has been issued against him. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion Having taken charge of the southern French club Narbonne from 2015-16, Elsom went on trial for embezzling club funds by making unjustified expenditures to pay a coach or a general manager who was living in Australia at the time. Elsom was acquitted on charges of forgery but was ordered to pay €230,000 in compensation to the club's liquidator. His lawyer, Yann Le Bras, appealed and pleaded for a further acquittal during a trial last month. Instead, the prosecutor requested a three-year prison sentence and a fine of €630,000 (A$687,000). At a previous trial in October last year, Elsom was sentenced to five years in prison but did not attend the hearing. He has been the subject of an international arrest warrant since that conviction. As allowed by French law, Elsom requested to be retried with legal representation, but he did not appear in court last month. Elsom played 75 times for Australia from 2005-11, earning a reputation as a standout flanker. He was named man of the match when he won the 2009 Heineken Cup with Dublin-based club Leinster alongside Ireland greats like Johnny Sexton and Brian O'Driscoll. Born in Melbourne, Elsom had been living in Ireland since August 2024 but fled the country after an international arrest warrant was issued against him. Elsom denied any wrongdoing and said that under his leadership Narbonne was in a healthy position. '[The club] achieved solid profits, had good sporting results, and remained in Pro D2 [the second tier of French rugby] until 2016 and beyond,' he said in a statement in October. 'It seems that I have been targeted as a scapegoat for the future mismanagement of this famous rugby club.' Narbonne won the French rugby championship twice in 1936 and 1979 and finished runner-up three times. The club went into liquidation in 2018 and now competes in the third-tier Fédérale league. Elsom, who also played Super Rugby for the Waratahs and Brumbies, had been working as a coach at a school in Dublin around the time of his arrest warrant. He said in a YouTube interview four months ago that he left immediately with only a single backpack when he found out that Ireland was legally obliged to extradite him to France. When he gave the interview to Mark Bouris from a hidden location, he said he had not been informed there was a public trial in October. 'This is a really important part of it. I didn't know a court case was on and there was no possible way for me to know,' he said.
Associated Press
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Former Australia rugby captain Rocky Elsom sentenced to 2 years in prison by French court
Former Australia rugby captain Rocky Elsom was sentenced to two years in prison by a French court on Friday for misusing corporate assets during his time as club president of Narbonne. He was also fined 100,000 euros ($109,000) with half the sum suspended. The 42-year-old Elsom did not appear in court. His whereabouts are unknown and a French arrest warrant has been issued against him. He played 75 times for Australia from 2005-11, earning a reputation as a standout flanker. Elsom was president of southern French club Narbonne from 2015-16. He went on trial for embezzling club funds by making unjustified expenditures to pay a coach or a general manager who was living in Australia at the time. He was acquitted on charges of forgery and use of forgery but was ordered to pay 230,000 euros in compensation to the club's liquidator. His lawyer Yann Le Bras appealed. During a trial last month, the prosecutor requested a three-year prison sentence and a fine of 630,000 euros ($687,000). Elsom's lawyer had pleaded for an acquittal. In a previous trial in October last year, Elsom was sentenced to five years in prison but did not attend the hearing. He has been the subject of an international arrest warrant since that conviction. As allowed by French law, Elsom requested to be retried with legal representation, but he did not appear in court last month. Fled Ireland Elsom was named man of the match when he won the 2009 European Cup with Dublin-based Irish club Leinster alongside Ireland greats Johnny Sexton and Brian O'Driscoll. He had been living in Ireland since August 2024 and fled the country after an international arrest warrant was issued against him. He denied any wrongdoing and said that under his leadership Narbonne was in a healthy position. '(Narbonne) achieved solid profits, had good sporting results, and remained in Pro D2 (the second tier of French rugby) until 2016 and beyond,' he said in a statement in October. 'It seems that I have been targeted as a scapegoat for the future mismanagement of this famous rugby club.' Narbonne won the French Championship twice in 1936 and 1979 and finished runner-up three times. The club went into liquidation in 2018 and now competes in the third-tier Fédérale league. Elsom had been working as a coach at a school in Dublin around the time of his arrest warrant. Elsom said in an interview four months ago on YouTube that he left immediately with only a single backpack when he found out that Ireland was legally obliged to extradite him to France. When he gave the interview to Mark Bouris from a hidden location, he said he had not been informed there was a public trial in October. 'This s a really important part of it. I didn't know a court case was on and there was no possible way for me to know,' he said. ___ ___
