Eels Blogs

An investigation has linked former Eels chairman Roy Spagnolo and ex-chief executive Bob Bentley to the systematic tampering of membership records in the weeks before last year's club elections.

Spagnolo, who retains a role in the game as chair of the Parramatta District Rugby League Club, is alleged to have been in Bentley's office at Parramatta Leagues Club on April 3 last year when a phone call was made to the supplier of their membership software system, Aristocrat, seeking instructions on how to backdate records.

An internal audit, run by a former detective from the Major Crime Squad and assisted by IT personnel, found that 186 fraudulent memberships were either created or had their joining date altered, giving the impression those people had been on the books for three years and rendering them able to attend and vote at the board election on May 11 last year.  

The Herald can reveal that investigations have found the tampering took place between April 3 and May 10 and can allegedly be traced back to a phone call made from Bentley's office to Aristocrat.

It is alleged that Bentley, then general manager of operations Tony Cinque and Parramatta IT manager Ross Kellaway were in the room at the time as instructions were received with the phone on speaker mode, while it is claimed Spagnolo was walking between the CEO's office and the adjacent boardroom. IT records have also pinpointed Bentley's computer as the one used to make changes to the membership details of a trial subject, Cinque's daughter, as the phone call was taking place.

It is understood that Aristocrat records report that on the same day four fake user names were created on the membership computer program called S7000, using a laptop allocated to Cinque. It is alleged that Bentley's Windows log-in was used to operate the laptop at the time. 

One of the fake user names – called 'FRONT DESK' – created most of the fraudulent memberships which, as reported by the Herald, were assigned to many family members and friends of Spagnolo, including six with his surname.

Others to have had memberships created in their name and backdated to show a joining date of March 2010 included Spagnolo's brother-in-law Patrick Agostino, friend Roy Mittiga, who was jailed in 1992 over insurance fraud, friends George Gaitanos and Vince Lombardo, and real estate agent Pat Sergi, who was named at the Woodward royal commission and appeared as a witness at NSW's Independent Commission Against Corruption this year.

Bentley, Cinque and Kellaway were all paid bonuses in the weeks after the tampering took place. Bentley scored a $92,998 bonus that was signed off by Spagnolo after he had lost his seat on the board at the election; Cinque received a pay rise from $190,000 to $210,000 on April 29 last year and Kellaway received a $10,000 raise in late April last year.

Spagnolo and Bentley did not return calls from the Herald on Thursday, while Cinque and Kellaway, the others allegedly in Bentley's office when the call was made to Aristocrat, denied involvement in the rort.

"I'm not aware of any issue," Cinque said when contacted. "I've moved on. Thanks. Seeya."

Kellaway, who resigned without notice in June this year, said he did not remember the call. "I have no recollection of that. If that took place I have no knowledge of that," he said. "The first time I heard about [the membership tampering] was when we started seeing articles in the paper. I wasn't involved in any of that."

He confirmed he had received a pay rise but could not remember when and maintained he did not quit his job as a result of Parramatta opening an inquiry into the membership scheme.

"I did [receive a pay rise] at some stage but I couldn't tell you the dates or whatever," Kellaway said, adding of his departure: "They were looking into it, but I got two written warnings for other matters, so I wasn't sticking around for the third one. It was clear they were managing me out of the place."

Kellaway's log-in on the Aristocrat system is alleged to have been used to issue membership cards to two fictitious members on April 19 and April 24 last year. Asked whether he had done this he said on Thursday: "No. If somebody has done that with my log-in, then I have no knowledge of that. I haven't been involved in any of that."

Kellaway said he had not been spoken to by police or the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, who both have ongoing investigations into the scandal.

The fresh allegations come as Bentley, who was sacked by the incoming board in July last year, continues an unfair-dismissal claim against Parramatta Leagues Club.

Mediation between the parties was unsuccessful and the club is believed to have made a settlement offer to Bentley, albeit significantly less than the more than $1 million he was seeking.

Bentley's exit from Parramatta was unconnected to the membership tampering, which was only uncovered four months ago. Bentley's salary is understood to have almost tripled over his three years at the club, leaving with a base income of about $400,000 when he departed.

A spokesman for OLGR said it would be inappropriate to comment while its inquiry into Parramatta continued.

Bob Bentley: IT records show Bentley's computer was the one used to change membership details. Photo:

Roy Spagnolo: Alleged to have been present when call to Bob Bentley's office was made. Photo: Adam Hollingworth

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/parramatta-eels/parramatta-officials-roy-spagnolo-and-bob-bentley-linked-to-eels-membership-rort-20140911-10fl4e.html#ixzz3D1fiMwJZ