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Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
Court jails ex-AFL umpire Troy Pannell for ignoring legal directives in long-running contempt dispute
Troy Pannell. Image via: Getty Images Former AFL umpire Troy Pannell has been sentenced to 11 weeks in jail after defying multiple court orders in a drawn-out legal battle. The contempt case, tied to an $8.7 million fraud investigation, saw Pannell repeatedly violate asset-freeze conditions and mislead the court over his financial affairs. Despite pleading guilty to several charges, the judge ruled his conduct showed 'deliberate disregard' for the law. Court jails ex-AFL umpire Troy Pannell for ignoring legal directives in long-running contempt dispute Once a respected figure in the AFL, having officiated over 200 games, Troy Pannell now faces serious legal consequences for ignoring multiple court orders. His fall from grace began with allegations of a decade-long fraud scheme involving his former employer, SeaRoad Shipping. Pannell allegedly funneled millions through fake invoices issued to his own company, Independent Container Surveyors & Assessors (ICSA), for services never rendered. In January, the court froze his assets as part of a civil case filed by SeaRoad. But rather than comply, Pannell sold a racehorse foal, funneled $10,000 in cash to a friend, and failed to file sworn affidavits detailing his financial status. Justice Andrew Watson described the disobedience as 'contumacious,' meaning willfully disobedient, and said Pannell's actions directly hindered the court's ability to administer justice. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Are The Most Beautiful Women In The World Undo 'The failure to present the affidavits meant for six months, the plaintiff doesn't have a complete picture of his assets,' the judge said. 'Mr Pannell's culpability is high. There is a need for general deterrence and denunciation.' Though he claimed the racehorse was sold before the asset freeze, Pannell later admitted to instructing a friend, Maree Wilke, to support that story. Evidence revealed he even signed documents in her name to back the false timeline. Troy Pannell faces jail time He missed hearings, citing car trouble after allegedly hitting a kangaroo. At one point, he lived in his company vehicle while evading arrest. He was eventually taken into custody after a police chase ended in a crash. Though 54 days of his sentence have already been served, the scandal surrounding Pannell is far from over. SeaRoad is still pursuing a civil claim to recover the $8.7 million it alleges was fraudulently funneled out of the company. If Pannell fails to provide complete bank records within 14 days, a default judgment could be issued against him. Despite showing remorse in court, Justice Watson noted that Pannell 'made no real attempt to comply with the court orders at any stage prior to 22 July 2025.' With only a few weeks left in his jail term, the former umpire's legal troubles are expected to continue well beyond his release date. Also Read: Is Conor McGregor returning to UFC? The Notorious teased training and testing pool video ahead of White House card FAQs Why was Troy Pannell jailed? He was jailed for contempt of court after breaching asset-freeze orders and failing to disclose financial details. What is the fraud case involving SeaRoad Shipping? Pannell is accused of generating fake invoices worth $8.7 million through his company while employed at SeaRoad. How long will Troy Pannell remain in jail? He received an 11-week sentence but has already served 54 days, so he is due for release in August. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Sydney Morning Herald
18-07-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Ex-AFL umpire Troy Pannell admits selling racehorse after assets were frozen
Former AFL umpire Troy Pannell has pleaded guilty to illegally selling off his shares in a racehorse after freezing orders were imposed on his assets, amid separate claims he was behind a years long $8.7 million fraud scheme. Pannell, who until recently was on the run from police with several warrants out for his arrest, is being pursued by his former employer, SeaRoad Shipping, after being accused of ripping the company off in a decade-long embezzlement saga. SeaRoad took civil action in the Supreme Court late last year alleging Pannell had defrauded the business via a fake-invoice scheme. The scheme allegedly involved Pannell generating invoices to pay a company named Independent Container Surveyors & Assessors Pty Ltd, of which Pannell was sole shareholder and director, to repair damaged shipping containers. SeaRoad alleges no work was done to repair the containers. Documents filed in the Supreme Court detail that Pannell has been accused of sending as many as 10,000 false invoices of about $800 for repairs to shipping containers On Friday, he faced the Supreme Court and pleaded guilty to contempt of court charges, including failure to comply with his obligation to make asset disclosure affidavits pursuant to a freezing order and selling shares in a racehorse, Aimee's Jewel, to a friend, Maree Wilke, while a freezing order was imposed. In early May freezing orders were also placed on Wilke's assets. Pannell, who represented himself, said during the hearing that he did not have $8.7 million in assets. The court also heard Pannell paid Wilke $10,000 to pay for her legal fees following the sale of the thoroughbred horse. He initially told the court he made the sale before freezing orders were imposed in December last year.
The Age
18-07-2025
- Business
- The Age
Ex-AFL umpire Troy Pannell admits selling racehorse after assets were frozen
Former AFL umpire Troy Pannell has pleaded guilty to illegally selling off his shares in a racehorse after freezing orders were imposed on his assets, amid separate claims he was behind a years long $8.7 million fraud scheme. Pannell, who until recently was on the run from police with several warrants out for his arrest, is being pursued by his former employer, SeaRoad Shipping, after being accused of ripping the company off in a decade-long embezzlement saga. SeaRoad took civil action in the Supreme Court late last year alleging Pannell had defrauded the business via a fake-invoice scheme. The scheme allegedly involved Pannell generating invoices to pay a company named Independent Container Surveyors & Assessors Pty Ltd, of which Pannell was sole shareholder and director, to repair damaged shipping containers. SeaRoad alleges no work was done to repair the containers. Documents filed in the Supreme Court detail that Pannell has been accused of sending as many as 10,000 false invoices of about $800 for repairs to shipping containers On Friday, he faced the Supreme Court and pleaded guilty to contempt of court charges, including failure to comply with his obligation to make asset disclosure affidavits pursuant to a freezing order and selling shares in a racehorse, Aimee's Jewel, to a friend, Maree Wilke, while a freezing order was imposed. In early May freezing orders were also placed on Wilke's assets. Pannell, who represented himself, said during the hearing that he did not have $8.7 million in assets. The court also heard Pannell paid Wilke $10,000 to pay for her legal fees following the sale of the thoroughbred horse. He initially told the court he made the sale before freezing orders were imposed in December last year.
SBS Australia
15-06-2025
- Business
- SBS Australia
An illegal fate? The curious case of Australia's last homemade cargo ship
An Australian cargo ship scrapped for steel in Bangladesh may have intentionally evaded an international hazardous waste treaty and European law, a Dateline investigation can reveal. A Panama flag, a Liberian shell company, and the world's largest "cash buyer" were all part of the mysterious trail of the ship's final voyage. According to the industry watchdog, NGO Shipbreaking Platform (NSP), which campaigns to clean up the industry, the Searoad Tamar case is not isolated, but rather business as usual for the international maritime industry. This is how nearly all the world's ocean-going vessels are scrapped, its website says . Most of the world's ships die on just two beaches: one each in India and Bangladesh. There, beached ships often containing hazardous waste are cut apart by poor workers, usually without protective equipment, in what the International Labour Organisation declared one of the world's most dangerous jobs. The Searoad Tamar was a roll-on, roll-off vehicle ferry that for years plied the Bass Straight between Devonport and Melbourne. Its longtime owner-operator, SeaRoad, sold the ship in 2021 to a Greece-based shipping company for use in the Mediterranean, a company spokesperson said in a statement. The Searoad Tamar left Melbourne for the last time in April 2021 but never arrived in Greece. Instead, three weeks later, and registered under a Panama flag, the ship was beached into the mud at Chittagong, Bangladesh's second largest city. Dateline does not suggest that the Tasmanian company, SeaRoad, did anything wrong. SeaRoad's head, Chas Kelly, said he was "devastated" to learn the ship had been scrapped. Shipping records obscure the name of the new Greek owner, but Dateline has confirmed with three sources that the Athens-addressed Ainaftis Shipping Co. purchased the Searoad Tamar. Ainaftis Shipping Co. did not reply to Dateline's emailed questions. It would likely breach both EU laws and the Basel Convention on the movement of hazardous waste if the Greek company sold and sent the Searoad Tamar to a Bangladeshi scrapyard. But official shipping records show that the vessel was broken at the Chittagong scrapyard, Asadi Steel Enterprise. So, was a so-called cash buyer — a middleman ship scrapping merchant company involved? Dateline approached the Asadi Steel Enterprise yard and was told by the general manager that it bought the Searoad Tamar from a company with an address in Liberia: Ship Recycling Investments LLC. But NSP analysts think it's a shell company. Its address is a PO Box for Liberia's official offshore business registry, reportedly linked to tens of thousands of anonymous companies. But the address also links it to a well-known cash buyer: Global Marketing Systems (GMS). The Dubai-based company's website says GMS is "world's largest buyer of ships and offshore vessels for recycling". The site even lists a calendar of Bangladesh's tides for beaching purposes. GMS also did not respond to Dateline's questions. NSP's website says that cash buyers and so-called ' flags of convenience ' are used to allow shipping companies to send ships for scrapping in places like Bangladesh and India while avoiding locals laws and the Basel Convention's restrictions. This, NSP's analysts' say, is how most of the world's ships end up broken on beaches in Bangladesh and India, despite global attempts to control and prevent the practice. And it's why the arrangements and trail of the Searoad Tamar from Melbourne to Chittagong are so difficult to investigate, because the cash buyer system inhibits scrutiny and obscures accountability.
West Australian
12-06-2025
- West Australian
Ex-AFL umpire Troy Pannell in court delay over $8.7 million SeaRoad fraud case
There has been a further delay in the $8.7 million fraud case involving a former AFL umpire. Troy Pannell was allegedly on the run for more than two weeks before crashing his car after police attempted to stop him on Friday. An arrest warrant was issued for the 48-year-old in the Victorian Supreme Court last month after he failed to appear in a civil case involving his former employer, who is pursuing him over the multi-million dollar fraud they allege he benefited from. Pannell was due to appear in court on Wednesday and then again on Thursday, but the matter has been adjourned to a future date with ex-whistleblower possibly still in hospital. Pannell, who officiated 291 AFL games from 2005 to 2018 — including a controversial 2016 match where he awarded 17 free kicks to the eventual flag-winning Bulldogs and only one to Adelaide — was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday but is now expected to appear today. Pannell underwent life-saving surgery over the weekend after crashing his car into a tree on a country road in Victoria while allegedly fleeing from police. Police located him in Wheatsheaf and attempted to stop him. He failed to comply and drove off along Daylesford-Malmsbury Road. Police say it was not a pursuit, but Pannell's van crashed into a tree shortly afterward. He was airlifted in serious condition to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne and underwent emergency surgery. He has since been formally arrested to be brought before the court for the civil case. His name was called out at the Victorian Supreme Court on Friday, but he was not in attendance. It was the second time he missed a scheduled court appearance, prompting Justice Andrew Watson to issue an arrest warrant. The court had believed he had left Victoria and was possibly heading to South Australia. Officers were instructed to keep him in custody until the next hearing. It is alleged that Pannell generated invoices to pay a company named Independent Container Surveyors & Assessors (ICSA) for repairs to damaged shipping containers, with each 'repair' costing SeaRoad between $800 and $900. Pannell allegedly had authority to approve purchase orders up to $5000. Suspicion arose when a finance manager noticed ICSA was not registered for GST. SeaRoad claims ICSA never performed any work and that it trusted Pannell to follow proper procedures. A letter from SeaRoad to Pannell, tendered in court, stated: 'SeaRoad is satisfied you have committed serious misconduct. You have been the sole shareholder and director of ICSA from 2010 to date. We find your response that you did not know you held these positions to be fanciful.' SeaRoad is asking the court to order Pannell — who also had financial interests in the racing industry — to repay the $8.7 million. A forensic search revealed that Pannell sent an email to his wife, Lynise Woodgate, in October 2023 titled 'Love U' , in which he wrote: 'I'm so sorry for everything … I don't know where 3 years have gone, we have been so busy … and had I realised everything I am feeling right now, 3 years ago … I would not feel the way I do today.' When the arrest warrant was issued in May, Crows great Mark Ricciuto said the AFL should investigate the infamous 2016 game in light of the court claims. 'The Bulldogs won the flag that year. If they hadn't won that game, they probably would've finished eighth and not advanced,' Ricciuto said on Triple M. 'Adelaide would've finished third instead of fifth. We would've had a double chance. It might have cost us a flag.' With 7NEWS
