Christopher Shannon: Betting scandal rocks Australian of the Year awards as man is accused of using insider information to back the winner for five years in a row

A man has been charged with using inside information to place bets on the winners of five Australian of the Year awards.

Christopher Shannon, 47, from Collaroy on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, has been charged with six counts of using inside information for gambling purposes.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) allege that Shannon used information from a government employee to place a series of winning bets between 2017 and 2021.

He is said to have pocketed $7,542 from $1,767 in bets.

The 2023 winner was body image activist Taryn Brumfitt (pictured with Anthony Albanese)

The AFP launched Operation Maridun in February 2021 after the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) provided them with information about ‘irregular betting’ at the 2021 Australian of the Year awards ceremony.

Shannon will appear in Sydney’s Downing Center Court on Tuesday.

The maximum penalty is two years behind bars.

The winners of the Australian of the Year award between 2017 and 2021 were Professor Alan Mackay (2017), Professor Michelle Simmons (2018), Dr Richard Harris and Dr Craig Challen (2019), Dr James Muecke (2020) and Grace Tame (2021). ).

The 2023 winner was body image activist Taryn Brumfitt.

The AFP claims Shannon used information from a government employee to place a series of winning bets between 2017 and 2021 (pictured shows 2017 winner Grace Tame)

AFP commander Stephen Nutt said the use of inside information undermined the integrity of gambling events and disadvantaged those who played by the rules.

“Detecting and disrupting major insider financial crimes is a key priority of the AFP and its partner agencies,” he said.

“The misuse of official or privileged information also erodes public confidence in our institutions.”

Operation Maridun remains an open investigation.