Category Archives: Sports Cheats

Harness Racing Scandal-Will it ever end? UPDATES

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I covered this when it first broke and while ago in another thread, but we are still barely breaking the tip of the iceberg  folks. This si going to become the BIGGEST SCANDAL ever seen in any SPORT in this COUNTRY if not the world. The scope of the con is so wide and so deep that it may take the whole deck of cards to fall where every player is putting in the other to try to save some jail time. From top line trainers, starters, stewards, Rookies, young and old, Punters, bookmakers and Vets.

This is an outrage that it was allowed to fester along for years until it became common knowledge and still nothing was done with the bloody head in the sand attitude of NSW Harness Racing Authority Officials.Those involved had their noses so deep in the trough they must have been blinded by greed to let it prosper and think they would not get caught.

What will happen to those who make it to court and prosecutions? STUFF ALL is my guess, banned from tracks, big deal, a slap on the wrist, a few thousand dollars in fines and a mate will get you a job somewhere for keeping your mouth shut in 6 months time! The whole Board and every single official MUST be scrutinised as should every single driver to of ever won a race over these last few years, and that is probably not going back far enough.

The difficult part will be keeping on top of what’s going on with who, the Industry is now a shambles with shifty eyes, distrust, secret meetings and phone calls etc. At least if the NSW Police and the Government are fair dinkum is leaving no stone unturned, these cheating bastards have already been Identified, been under surveillance and recorded with plenty of evidence.

Trainer/driver Ben Sarina stood down

UPDATE Today at 1:25pm

Trainer/Driver Ben Sarina...Another dirty rotten greedy cheat, along with Dad too, trained him well...

SYDNEY, Dec 14 – Trainer/driver Ben Sarina has been stood down by Harness Racing NSW and charged with giving false evidence during their investigation into industry corruption.

Sarina was charged on Wednesday, a day after his father, trainer Greg Sarina, was also stood down for allegedly lying to authorities.

Ben Sarina is alleged to have given false evidence in relation to his telephone communication with former steward Paul O’Toole.

O’Toole, who resigned from his post earlier this year, has since been arrested and charged by police with a total of 38 counts of allegedly receiving or attempting to receive benefits through corruption.

He was one of five harness racing identities arrested last month in relation to the corruption scandal that came to light in August.

At that time, O’Toole was one of two stewards who resigned amid allegations some stewards were not ordering swabs from certain horses in certain races, to the knowledge of other participants of the practice.

Ben Sarina will have his charge heard by the special stewards’ panel appointed specifically to deal with the corruption scandal.

No date has been set for the hearing.

The paper trail goes long and deep these days you silly greedy pricks and all that is happening is the WAIT for your turn to be arrested. SHAME on you all All your greedy filthy faces will be planted here right on top for everyone to see too!

Disgraced Top driver Greg Bennett

Disgraced driver Dean Atkinson

Paul O'Toole ... resigned in August.

November 28, 2011

HARNESS racing legend Brian Hancock enjoyed Miracle Mile night as a spectator but like many who ventured to Menangle he was left wondering, who’s next?

This quandary has little to do with finding next year’s winner of the great race or who will be Smoken Up’s next victim.

Hancock is simply trying to work out who, or who isn’t, involved in the sickening harness racing scandal that is getting uglier by the day. Who will be the next trainer, driver or steward who will open their front door to the boys in blue?

So far five people have been arrested and charged by Strike Force Tairora. Whether proven innocent or guilty, the reputations of premier driver Greg Bennett, Cameron Fitzpatrick, Dean Atkinson, Michael Russo and Paul O’Toole have already been damaged. Between them, 60 charges of corruption have been laid.

Smoken works a miracle

Net widens in harness scam

Two more arrests in race scandal
And the hottest tip sweeping the western Sydney track on Saturday night was that more people could be added to the tally today. The same names keep being dropped and they are certainly household identities widely known by the general public. The mood, especially in the stabling enclosure, wasn’t like any normal Miracle Mile night.

There was tension and not just from those who were nervous about the prospect of winning a $500,000 race.

“It was hard to look a few different people in the eye and know whether or not they have been involved,” Hancock said.

“I noticed a few people looking down at their toes and you start to wonder, are they the next who will go? There was something uneasy about the night, I enjoyed the racing and the Miracle Mile is always a tremendous race with plenty of action – but it was just a little different.”

Hancock is entitled to feel this way given he has been consumed by harness racing for 45 years. He has dedicated the majority of his life to the sport and gets a sick feeling in his stomach when thinking about how he, and the honest, hard-working trainers and drivers have been dudded. How they have all been dragged in to the whirlpool and branded with notorious “red-hots” tag.

“Everyone is entitled to their day in court, no one is guilty until it is proven but I’ll have no sympathy for them,” he said. “Some I have considered friends and competed alongside for years but if they have been taking advantage of us then they deserve to wear the consequences. If they do jail-time then so be it.”

The timing of the police raids, just days out from the Miracle Mile – Sydney’s biggest race – upset many harness racing lovers. The feeling is that authorities could have addressed the situation after the weekend so that the spotlight was fixed on the horses and the spectacle.

Harness Racing NSW certainly didn’t have any understanding that the police, who justifiably don’t need to explain their actions, were about to strike and therefore can’t be accused.

Whatever the driving force, it can’t be changed now, the floodgates have already opened.

THE harness racing scandal may be isolated to races in NSW, but the investigation into the elaborate scam is set to cross state boundaries as the hunt for the money trail continues.

No further arrests were made by Strike Force Tairora yesterday, but several harness racing identities remain on edge, privately telling friends and fellow participants that it won’t be long until the police arrive on their doorstep.

“This is just scraping the tip of the iceberg,” Harness Racing NSW regulatory manager Reid Sanders said yesterday.

Disgraced Top driver Greg Bennett arrested

As shocking as it has been to see five people, including leading drivers Greg Bennett, Cameron Fitzpatrick, trainers Dean Atkinson and Michael Russo and steward Paul O’Toole arrested – others involved in the scandal have yet to be charged.

Sanders, who is conducting a separate investigation to the NSW Police, is keen for trainers and drivers to be brought to justice, but he is also adamant those pulling the strings behind the scenes must be caught.

Related Coverage

“There are a number of people located interstate that we intend to speak to regarding our investigation. We have limited our investigation to races conducted in NSW,” Sanders said. “We will be sitting down and speaking with police early in the week and after that we will have a better understanding as to where we are positioned and how we can move on from here.

“Our investigations were almost complete, we were

close to being in a position to act, but that has been placed on hold at this stage while we wait on the outcome of the moves by police.”

It was alleged in Lithgow Local Court on Thursday that steward Paul O’Toole received more than $400,000 for his involvement, a figure denied by his legal team.

This figure is sizeable, but a source has indicated to The Sunday Telegraph that punters, who were also receiving the information as to which horses would be given the green light, were netting substantial sums on some races.

Cameron Fitzpatrick, the son of premier trainer and Harold Park legend Paul Fitzpatrick, was stood down from duties at Menangle Park last night as a result of his arrest.

Cameron is understood to have made advances to Harness Racing NSW to attend the Miracle Mile meeting despite the charges against his name.

HRNSW officials informed the youngest of three Fitzpatrick boys that he was not to attend and that measures would be put in place to ensure that he was not on course.

AUSTRALIA’S biggest racing scandal in decades is set to see further arrests, after two more prominent trotting identities were charged with corruption-related offences yesterday.

The new developments have come as more details emerge about police allegations made in Lithgow Local Court on Thursday against former top trots steward Paul O’Toole, who faces 38 charges related to corrupt benefits.

The Daily Telegraph understands police are alleging more than $430,000 were deposited by others into a joint account operated by O’Toole over a 20-month period. Police are going to allege that some of these deposits were made by industry identities involved in the scandal.

Yesterday, trainer Dean Atkinson and driver Cameron Fitzpatrick were arrested near Goulburn and Camden respectively after police executed search warrants on their addresses.

Both were hit with three corruption charges, taking to 60 the number of charges police made against five industry identities – who also include the sport’s premier driver Greg Bennett and trainer Michael Russo – over a 24-hour period from Thursday morning. Atkinson and Fitzpatrick were stood down immediately by Harness Racing NSW, under rules in which industry participants can be directed not to participate pending charges or investigations. Bennett had been similarly stood down 24 hours earlier.

Fitzpatrick’s father, Paul – one of the top trainers in Sydney harness racing – declined to comment about his son’s arrest. But it is believed more arrests are imminent. Harness Racing NSW regulatory boss Reid Sanders said yesterday he would meet police officials next week for a full briefing on where their investigation stands.

“We also need to give them an update on where we’re at,” he said. “We have more persons of interest than have so far been arrested.”

Sanders said HRNSW had stood down people who were “interviewed by us prior to being arrested by police”.

It was alleged in Lithgow Local Court on Thursday that steward Paul O'Toole received more than $400,000 for his involvement, a figure denied by his legal team.

Meanwhile, police are understood to have alleged O’Toole allowed some trainers to administer what are known as “milkshakes” and other performance boosters to horses at six racetracks across NSW – Menangle, Bathurst, Penrith, Bankstown, Goulburn and Parkes – in many cases in exchange for financial benefits.

Although O’Toole was granted bail, he was forced to surrender his passport and asked not to contact trotting identities including Bennett, Russo, Atkinson, Fitzpatrick and another former steward, Matthew Bentley. Sanders reiterated his comments that there had never been an “investigation of this nature and scale in any racing code in Australia and the world”

November 25, 2011 1:43PM

LEADING driver Cameron Fitzpatrick and trainer Dean Atkinson have both been arrested and charged by police this morning for their involvement in the harness racing scandal engulfing the sport.

LEADING driver Cameron Fitzpatrick and trainer Dean Atkinson have both been arrested and charged by police this morning for their involvement in the harness racing scandal engulfing the sport.

The moves by Strike Force Tairora came 24-hours after three arrests were made to New South Wales’ best driver of the past decade Greg Bennett, steward Paul O’Toole and trainer Michael Russo.

Cameron Fitzpatrick, the son of premier trainer Paul, was charged with two counts of corruption and is due to appear in Penrith Local Court on December 15.

Atkinson was also charged with two counts of corruption and will appear in Picton Local Court on December 20.

The arrests have given harness racing an untimely black-eye when the focus should be on the $500,000 Miracle Mile at Tabcorp Park Menangle tomorrow night.

Ex-Bulldogs star Ryan Tandy found guilty of NRL match-fixing

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Ryan Tandy found guilty of trying to fix 2010 match between Canterbury Bulldogs and North Queensland Cowboys.

Well the time has finally come to make this bloke accountable for trying to cheat the game and the fans, all because he is a greedy gambling addict.Shame on those close to him, like his professional manager who got in on the act himself too.But we will hear more on that after today.He is awaiting sentencing this afternoon as I type this….lets hope he gets a sentence as a punishment and a DETERRENT to others thinking about doing the same…

UPDATE 12.02 06/10/11 How is this for a joke! Ryan Tandy convicted, fined $4000 and placed on a 12 month good behaviour bond. And his lawyers will be appealing that.Should consider himself a lucky bastard

FORMER Bulldogs forward Ryan Tandy has been found guilty of match-fixing in an NRL betting scam.

Sports Cheat Tandy will be sentenced later today

Magistrate Janet Wahlquist today said it was clear there was a plan to manipulate the first scoring of the game in August 2010 between the Bulldogs and the North Queensland Cowboys.

The plan had to include at least one player to make the bet come off, and the only rational hypothesis was that Tandy’s role was to do all that he could to make sure the Cowboys scored the first penalty goal, Ms Wahlquist said.

“He is the only player the evidence points to,” she said.

Tandy, 30, had pleaded not guilty to manipulating the first scoring point of the match to dishonestly obtain a financial advantage for “Sam Ayoub, John Elias and others, to win $113,245 from Tabcorp“.

The charge relates to an “unusual” betting plunge on the round 24 match, specifically to bets that the first points would be scored from a Cowboys penalty goal.

Tandy was penalised two minutes into the game for impeding a Cowboys player in front of the posts, after Tandy spilled the ball and gave away possession.

The magistrate is hearing sentencing submissions.

IT took Ryan Tandy less than a week to accrue gambling debts of $30,000 which he later said he would not repay because he “disputed” some bets made on his behalf, a court heard yesterday.

The former Bulldogs forward is facing Downing Centre Local Court on four charges of lying to the NSW Crime Commission during a police investigation into suspicious betting activity on a match last NRL season between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Bulldogs.

The 28-year-old has pleaded not guilty to those charges, as well as to one count of attempting to dishonestly obtain a financial advantage by deception.

The court heard former racing journalist John Schell organised for another man, Damien Flower, to place bets on Tandy’s behalf in June and July last year.

Schell told the court that Tandy, at that stage playing for the Melbourne Storm, had said he didn’t want bets made in his own name in light of the salary cap scandal, which had been exposed just weeks earlier.

Related Coverage

The court heard that Tandy asked for three bets of $5000 to be placed on horses to win at Flemington and Sydney – only for them all to place second.

Snell said he became concerned when Tandy’s debts grew to more than $30,000 and the NRL player started to “dispute” some of the bets he’d made.

But Snell said Tandy contacted him that June weekend and during the following week about placing bets on NRL matches.

Tandy was investigated after a flurry of bets was placed on the 2010 round 24 NRL match between the Bulldogs and the Cowboys in the unusual option of North Queensland scoring first from a penalty goal.

Tandy conceded a penalty in the opening moments of the game. However, North Queensland opted to take a quick tap in front of the posts and scored a try instead.

NSW Harness Racing Scandal- cheats fall day by day

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I have received more than a few emails about this story that broke a few months ago…IN SHORT…Never Ever BET on the TROTS again, if you ever have in NSW. Official Race Stewards, Starters (the ones in the back of those moving starter gates) Trainers, Drivers, Punters, (well those in the know) have been captured in nice little earner… I WILL BE POSTING EACH AND EVERY GREEDY BASTARD CAUGHT UP AND EXPOSED IN THIS

Steward Matthew Bentley and owner Mark Vallender

The Trots, also known as the red hots…A Rogue young up and coming steward has resigned on the spot, trainer/drivers are being banned, punters records being examined. Who knows where this will all end. I do recall as a young fella living quite close to Bankstown Paceway and knew back then that local trainers took turns in getting a “Good Run” But this is a whole new situation.

1.It is all to do with which “Random” horse was going to be drug tested… Now this is quite significant information, if you know your horse will not get tested on race-day you can load it up close to start time with all sorts of drugs to raise the chance of winning massively

2.Having this info means loading up the nag with drugs like

3. Sharing this information with punters, friends family, you can imagine how it works…Everyone jumps on

4.Worse to come though was once this little scam started to spread, the officials started earning some very nice coin ($500 to $1000 a horse)

5. To improve on that, the drivers and trainers started having little powwows to improve the result even further, knowing their turn will surely come…. Everyone is a winner, as those clown face operators used to tell us as kids…

So heads are falling, but I would hate to be a participant in this little (well large scam) earner as the walls are coming down hard and fast on the culprits who have nowhere to hide. Consider the Paper Trail in 2011, the digital fingerprint we all leave in everyday life. If the authorities are willing to leave no stone unturned this story is going to SHAKE they very foundations of this sport. When billions of dollars are involved, I do wonder who is going to be left totally exposed?

Harness driver banned after betting scandal

HARNESS racing authorities have taken their first action against a leading figure in the sport following a recent drug and betting scandal by banning a successful driver from racing.

Robbie Byrnes was ”warned off” yesterday, a punishment which means he cannot have any involvement in trotting, including attending a racecourse or even placing bets on races.

The move came the day after Harness Racing NSW forensically assessed the phones of seven people – believed to be trainers, drivers and owners – as they searched for evidence of collusion in a rort which threatens to destroy the sport.

Mr Byrnes was punished after he refused to hand over his phone records to investigators.

Last month two stewards, Paul O’Toole and Matthew Bentley, resigned their positions after being confronted with allegations that they had not taken pre- and post-race drug tests from particular horses. This gave corrupt trainers, punters and drivers a huge advantage in orchestrating betting plunges. It is believed as many as 80 per cent of the doped horses won their races.

Harness Racing NSW’s regulatory manager, Reid Sanders, confirmed persons of interest had been at the Bankstown office on Wednesday and a third-party had been employed to assist with the investigation.

The Herald understands the seven who attended the meeting were also asked to provide bank records, credit card statements and other financial information.

Parallel investigations are being conducted by police and the head of integrity at Harness Racing NSW into the race-fixing scandal which it is feared may have been going on for a number of years and involve hundreds of races. More than $2.2 billion a year is wagered on harness racing.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IN UTMOST ANONYMOUS CONFIDENCE WITH ANY INFO ON THIS GIG

  • Nick Tabakoff in Sydney
  • August 12, 2011

 

HARNESS Racing NSW is set to demand the banking records of senior industry figures as it tries to get to the bottom of the insider betting scandal that has rocked the sport.

HRNSW has the power to demand banking records from registered participants, including trainers, drivers, bookmakers and, in some cases, owners.

It will also seek betting records from the country’s major betting agencies as its investigations continue to widen, and as the police investigation continues.

Chairman Graeme Campbell confirmed yesterday HRNSW was on the warpath to fix the industry.

HRNSW has already written to 10 key players to ask for phone records.

The demands were part of broader concern about inside information on drug testing of races being leaked for betting purposes.

HRNSW chief executive Sam Nati said those involved were likely to be named soon.

Related Coverage

He also said HRNSW believed the leaking of information was not linked to the bombing of chief steward Bill Cable’s car last Friday.

Racing continued at Newcastle yesterday with trainers and drivers calling for severe action to be taken against those flouting the rules.

Trainer-driver Michael Formosa said there had been rumours about corruption for some time.

“There are any number of illegal drugs that can boost a horse’s performance,” he said.

“If it’s happening, it makes it hard for everyone else who’s doing the right thing.”

 

HEATH Shaw gets BUSTED for betting on a Collingwood game

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BREAKING NEWS Heath Shaw got a friend to place bets……..as a result of his conduct he will be suspended for 14 matches and fined $20,000… Cannot play in any games for 8 weeks…What a bloody dickhead, considering his past…..Finals stuffed for him now….Maxwell fined $10,000, reckons he didn’t know the info was to be used to bet with…More later

HEATH Shaw is set to be suspended for betting on a Collingwood game.

Heath Shaw busted betting on own player to kick first goal

The breach relates to Shaw betting on Nick Maxwell kicking the first goal in the Round 9 match against Adelaide. Was backed in from 125-1 to 25-1 raising alarm bells.

Maxwell, known as a defender, started the game in the forward line.

The AFL has called a media conference for 3.45pm.

The league says AFL operations manager Adrian Anderson will detail a decision relating to player rules about anti-gambling.

The league has introduced stringent rules in recent years prohibiting players, club and league officials from punting on matches.

The match was brought to the league’s attention in May after a corporate bookmaker was approached to take bets on the Collingwood skipper kicking the first goal at Etihad Stadium, although there was no suggestion Shaw was involved at the time.

Maxwell was a surprise starter in the forward line, but failed to kick a goal.

The Official AFL Statement on the Matter….

THE AFL has announced it had concluded an investigation into betting on AFL matches or events, in contravention of AFL regulations.

AFL general manager football operations Adrian Anderson said the AFL had conducted an extensive investigation after its routine monitoring of betting markets had shown some unusual activity around a match earlier this season.

The AFL entered into information sharing agreements nearly two years ago with all major bookmakers in Australia, as part of a range of measures to protect the integrity of the sport, and enabling AFL integrity manager Brett Clothier to complete the investigation.

Anderson said the AFL’s rules around gambling on the AFL were completely clear and were central to the integrity of the competition.

“All AFL players, coaches, umpires and officials can be in no doubt that betting on the AFL is prohibited and they can not disclose inside information when it could be used for betting purposes. Serious sanctions will continue to apply,” Anderson said.

Anderson said the following actions had been taken;

Heath Shaw – Collingwood player

In relation to three offences, Collingwood player Heath Shaw has been suspended for 14 matches, with six matches of this sanction suspended. Shaw was also fined $20,000. He will not be able to play at any level until the conclusion of round 24 of the 2011 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

On 21 May 2011, player Shaw shared $10 in a $20 cash bet with a friend on Nick Maxwell to kick the first goal of the round nine match between Collingwood and the Adelaide Crows, played at Etihad Stadium on Sunday May 22. The bet was placed at odds of $101.

On the same day, Shaw passed on inside information to two people that team mate Nick Maxwell would start the match up forward, instead of his usual role in defence. This information led to the placing of three cash bets totalling $25 on Nick Maxwell to kick the first goal, also at odds of $101.

Maxwell was backed in from $101 to $26 to kick the first goal of the game (He did not kick the first goal of the match).

Anderson said the AFL had completed its interviews with Heath Shaw this week.

While the penalty reflects the serious nature of the offending and the need to safeguard the integrity of the competition, in determining penalty, Anderson said the AFL had also taken into account the following mitigating factors:

  • Shaw’s honesty in admitting these offences at an early opportunity and foregoing his right to a Tribunal hearing
  • Shaw’s contrition
  • The small size of the bets in question
  • The fact that Shaw’s offence did not include any attempt to influence the outcome of the contest

The AFL would like to record Collingwood’s strong co-operation and support of  the investigation.

“The club fully co-operated and supported the investigation and took the matter as seriously as we did, which is very much to their credit,” Anderson said.

Nick Maxwell – Collingwood player

Collingwood player Nick Maxwell has been sanctioned $5000, with a further $5000 suspended for recklessly disclosing inside information, being information that he would start the match as a forward in the round nine match between Collingwood and the Adelaide Crows.

Player Maxwell had discussed this with his family in the lead-up to the match

Maxwell’s actions were reckless in that while he regularly discussed inside information relating to tactics with his family, he admitted never discussing with them the need to keep this information confidential, or the fact that this information should not be used for betting purposes.

The disclosure of the information by Maxwell led to three account bets totalling $85 being placed by his family members on Maxwell to kick the first goal of the match.

While the penalty reflects the serious nature of the offending and the need to safeguard the integrity of the competition, in determining penalty, Mr Anderson said the AFL had also taken into account the following mitigating factors:

  • Maxwells’ honesty in admitting these offences at an early opportunity and foregoing his right to a Tribunal hearing
  • Maxwell’s contrition
  • The fact that Maxwell was not aware and never intended for the information to be used for betting purposes

In determining penalty, Anderson said the AFL had taken into account player Maxwell’s full co-operation.

As per the case with player Shaw, the AFL would like to record Collingwood’s strong co-operation and contribution to the investigation, Anderson said.

Anderson said these offences would never have been detected without the comprehensive measures that were put in place over recent years to protect the integrity of the competition.

While it is disappointing that these offences have occurred, it is fundamentally important that matters such as this are detected and addressed to prevent more serious integrity issues arising.

“I wish to thank AFL integrity manager Brett Clothier and AFL intelligence co-ordinator Abraham Haddad for their thorough and professional investigation into this matter.”