New information has shed light on why Australian rugby hero Rocky Elsom was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of embezzling funds while acting as president of France’s Racing Club Narbonne almost a decade ago.
An international arrest warrant has been issued for the former Wallabies backrower after he was sentenced in absentia to five years in prison for misuse of company property.
The 41-year-old, who won 75 caps for the Wallabies during his playing career, was also ordered to pay back $1.1 million in compensation.
The Narbonne Criminal Court found him guilty of forgery, use of forgery and misuse of company property during his time at the club between 2015 and 2016.
Elsom has and has strongly denied the shock claims The Sydney Morning Heraldhas filed an opposition to the court’s indictment. A hearing is scheduled for November 15.
The outlet claims to have seen a 17-page indictment outlining the case against the former rugby union star. The charges were collected by magistrate Melodie Fabre and allege that Elsom had a payment from Heineken sent to a company in his own name and made advance payments to various players. He is also alleged to have retroactively dated a doctor’s contract.
In the document, Fabre claims to have discovered that Elsom made multiple payments while the club was in serious financial trouble. The document adds that these payments were made “to benefit his circle of friends and to serve his own interests.”
Former Australian rugby star Rocky Elsom has been sentenced to five years in prison by a French court
New details have emerged about the case alleging that Elsom made advance payments to players
It is also understood that the document details multiple complaints made against Elsom by club officials who succeeded him when he left in 2016. They also include some testimony from staff members that weighs in favor of Elsom’s argument against the claims.
“At worst, this shows that a fragile civil case may be brought against me [the claims were] True, but there were certainly no criminal offenses committed here and nothing that I would say was detrimental to the club,” he said, speaking about the case brought against him.
Player Payments
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the court suggests that Elsom had paid advances and wage increases to several players before giving up his role as director of Narbonne.
The documents claim he handed over a retainer of €42,600 ($70,545.39) to ex-Wallabies halfback Brett Sheehan. He had also increased former Waratah star Daniel Halangahu’s monthly salary from €1,946.27 ($3,223.01) to a whopping €16,692.82 ($27643.23) per month.
Several other payments were allegedly made, including:
- A payment of €79,200 ($13,1154.80) to Australian halfback Chris Whitaker;
- a loan was also made to Brumbies and Wallabies hooker Huia Edmonds of approximately €45,000 ($74,519.77);
- payments of €26,483 ($43,855.72) to ex-Brumbies star Tom Boidin; And
- a check for €17,110 ($28,334.07) to analyst Warwick Harrington.
Other claims involved a retroactive doctor’s contract and claims that Elsom had accepted a payment on behalf of Heineken to a company in which he had an interest.
It is understood the payments were made over 15 days and totaled €293,513.72 ($486,057.25).
Elsom explained the payments and stated that it was normal for advances to be paid in July to mark the new season.
The doctor’s contract
The document also contains forgery charges against the former flanker in relation to a club doctor’s contract.
Samy Djabelkhir signed a new contract with the club for the 2016–17 season, with Elsom allowing the doctor to take paid leave during the first few weeks of his contract.
After returning from vacation, the doctor was fired and club officials told him he was unaware of the contract and had been fired.
The court ruled that the doctor’s contract had been reversed by six days.
But Elsom rejected claims there was wrongdoing.
“It is ridiculous to suggest that someone committed forgery by signing a document that accurately reflects their continued employment,” he said.
Heineken
The case also involves payments from two different beer companies to the club.
The first involved a sponsorship agreement with Heineken. The Dutch brewer had made a payment of €40,000 ($66,239.80) to the rugby club that was not on their books.
Instead, the payment was made to RCNM Investments, a company he co-owned and had a stake in the football club.
Elsom claimed the payment was made before he became president of the club.
“For the avoidance of doubt, RCNM Investments has never made any payments to shareholders and RCNM only paid the rugby club or suppliers who provided goods or services to the club,” Elsom said.
The second transaction involved a payment to Beer Clear, a UK-based bar equipment manufacturer.
The company was linked to former London-Irish and Tongan international Chris Hala’ufia, who had previously borrowed a Land Rover Defender from the club – which was reportedly never returned.
The club had paid 37,503 to Beer Clear but no service was provided.
Some who worked alongside him at the club have claimed that Narbonne was in good financial shape under Elsom
“I paid the deposit in the agreement [with Beer Clear]that had to supply beer and bar equipment,” says Elsom. ‘[The club] did not keep the agreement, so no goods were delivered.’
Among other claims in the document, Elsom has insisted the club was in better form during the latter stages of his tenure at the club.
He was also supported by Michael Bouchier, a former director at Narbonne.
‘In my honest opinion, Mr Elsom’s financial management, during the three seasons in which he was the majority shareholder of the club, [was] a remarkable success in very difficult and trying circumstances,” Bouchier said.
He added: ‘Given that RCNM spent millions of euros more in each season following Mr Elsom’s departure, any claim that RCNM was in a precarious financial position at the time of the transfer was factually incorrect and defies logic.’