Ex-Richmond football player and author of the Hawthorn racism report Phil Egan faces trial for alleged fraud against an Indigenous nonprofit
- On trial for more than 70 criminal charges
- Has denied any allegations
- Played 125 games for Richmond from 1982 to 1990
The author of an explosive report into allegations of racism at the Hawthorn Football Club is facing trial for the first time after Victoria’s fraud squad announced he would be charged with more than 70 criminal charges.
Former Richmond Tigers AFL player Phil Egan, 60, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday for a hearing over allegations he stole from an Indigenous organization between 2010 and 2015.
Mr Egan, who has previously denied any wrongdoing, appeared relaxed and calm as he sat talking to his legal team in the body of the court before the case was filed.
Phil Egan (left) arrives at Melbourne Magistrates Court, where he talked to his legal team ahead of the hearing over allegations he stole from an Indigenous organization
Egan played 125 games for Richmond from 1982 to 1990. He was arrested in February before police charged him in August.
Egan was also the author of the Report on Racism at Hawthorn which outlined the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players and family with the club.
Last week, Victoria Police announced that Egan had been charged with 73 offences, including obtaining financial gain through deception, using false documents and receiving secret commissions.
The allegations relate to his time as CEO of the Murray Valley Aboriginal Collective – a non-profit organization that offers a range of programs dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Aboriginal people in Robinvale.
He is accused of fraudulently obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars, which he vehemently denies.
Mr Egan, who played 125 games for Richmond from 1982 to 1990, was first arrested as part of a fraud investigation in February, with police filing charges on August 3.
In court, his attorney for Doogue and George said the case against his client had “considerable complexity” with a number of moving parts.
He said it was possible the allegations could change significantly before the case went to trial.
Mr Egan wrote a scathing external review of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s experience with the Hawks, after former premiership star Cyril Rioli came out with accusations of racism at the AFL powerhouse.
Mr Egan was granted bail on his own pledge to return to court for bail on October 30.