Former fraud investigator Wayne Hancock to be sentenced over Manly Eagles free phones

Former fraud investigator Wayne Hancock to be sentenced over Manly Eagles free phonesHe was granted easy access to rugby league stars, as well as free season passes, a steady supply of merchandise, and invitations to club functions.Close family members were given permission to wait in the dressing sheds after matches, to participate in half time entertainment and to join the guard of honour that escorted players off the league field.AdvertisementThese were some of the "advantages" former fraud investigator Wayne Hancock received by fraudulently distributing dozens of free mobile phones to NRL players and officials, according to court documents.Hancock, 45, was working as a fraud investigator for Vodafone when he gave out the mobile phones, mainly to players and employees linked to the Manly- Warringah Sea Eagles, between 2008 and 2012.It is not alleged that any of the players, team officials or club employees were aware that the phones had been obtained fraudulently.The high profile beneficiaries included then Eagles chief executive Grant Mayer and coach Des Hasler, and current captain Jamie Lyons and player Brett Stewart.Others include the club's then football manager Steve Gigg, gear steward Sam Rahme, players Anthony Watmough and Joe Galuvao, former player Steven Menzies and employees in the finance, media and events department at the time. Head trainer Alex Ross received an iPad.According to an agreed upon set of facts tendered to Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, Hancock fraudulently obtained the phones by misusing the electronic system Vodafone used to upgrade customers' mobile handsets.Hancock has pleaded guilty to a slew of charges including obtaining money by deception, dishonestly obtaining property by deception and embezzlement.Vodafone was the mobile service provider for the Eagles when the offences occurred, and many of the phones were sent addressed to the former Eagles media manager and veteran club official Peter Peters.According to the facts, Peters indicated that Hancock "made it clear to him and to players within the club that if any of them need a phone they could be made available".Peters, according to the facts, indicated that the "advantages" bestowed upon Hancock "were seen as an appreciation for the generosity shown by the company (Vodafone) which the accused was perceived to represent".Those advantages included season grandstand tickets to NRL games at Brookvale Oval, VIP lounge access, invitations to club functions and access to player dressing rooms.Hancock also arranged for a junior league team he coached to play an exhibition match at half time during an Eagles game, despite it breaking normal procedure.In an email to the club's then event manager, Hancock wrote "might have to hit you up" so a league team in which his young relative played could form a guard of honour to escort Eagles players off the field.Detectives from the fraud and cybercrime squad formed Strike Force Kempt in 2013 to investigate the misappropriation of phones.In an intercepted telephone conversation the following year, Hancock told Eagles "close associate and friend" Spiro Toursounoglou that he wanted to give him the "heads up" that he may be asked about where the phones came from."So where did I get them?" Toursounoglou responded."No just be honest mate. We'd spoken to you and you were looking for a new phone and I asked my boss if we had any spares spare and I gave them to you from there," Hancock said.Hancock also got free phones for friends and family, telling one of his recipients "mate just say you got them from the markets, you know the trash and treasure ones".In a separate charge, Hancock also embezzled payments that were supposed to go to the company.Hancock left Vodafone under a "mutual separation" agreement in May 2012 and was arrested when he attended Wyong Police Station in July 2015.He is due to be sentenced in September.http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/former-fraud-investigator-wayne-hancock-to-be-sentenced-over-manly-eagles-free-phones-20160715-gq6p7c.html

Replies

Yobz July 16, 2016 at 9:19am

So Manly players are getting thousands of dollars of free goods from a direct team sponsor, and this guy in return gets team merchandise and free passes, but nobody mentions they words "illegal TPA"?
Stevo July 16, 2016 at 9:28am

Need to strip them of their 2008 and 2011 premierships I reckon.
- Yobz > Stevo July 16, 2016 at 10:52am
  
  Up to 2014. How long was he doing this, how many phones did they get over this time?
Kurupt July 16, 2016 at 9:41am

NRL needs to investigate the shìt out of this and not sweep it under the carpet!
Trini Lopez calling Go Go Gomez July 16, 2016 at 10:02am

They’ll get nothing on Peter Peters. He’s eaten the evidence.
- macybrown > Trini Lopez calling Go Go Gomez July 16, 2016 at 10:10am
  
  Haha Trini and the fridge?
- wiggy 71 > Trini Lopez calling Go Go Gomez July 16, 2016 at 11:40am
  
  Lol
macybrown July 16, 2016 at 10:15am

I'd be more shocked, surprised and astounded to hear stuff like this doesn't go on everywhere, throughout NRL land really.

But let's see what the DT to with this. It'd be hypocritical of me to whinge about a club supplying some free seats to a 'sponsor', I don't see anything wrong with it. But the NRL do!
Big G July 16, 2016 at 10:22am

Perhaps they can figure out a dollar amount and add it onto their cap for this year! Oops that doesn't sound very fair.
- BiG G > Big G July 19, 2016 at 12:12pm
  
  Nice name haha
  
  I don't know what to think, I know it's phones and being 'illegally' obtained. Personally, I didn't think phones would bring up a story like this but anywho...