The texts, emails that could cost Pendlebury millions
Scott Pendlebury’s finances have been laid bare in a bitter court battle with a former close friend and business partner.
A series of text messages and emails from Scott Pendlebury to his former business partner Jason Sourasis could cost the star player millions in a bitter court battle.
Documents filed in Victoria’s Supreme Court allege Pendlebury regularly discussed his business affairs with Sourasis.
The defence hit back at claims that Sourasis took $2.1m from the Pies midfielder “without his knowledge”.
Emails, WhatsApp and text messages allegedly state Pendlebury was “happy to roll” his investments into the Western United soccer club, with his share worth up to $4.3m.
“Awesome! This is elite”, Pendlebury said in a WhatsApp message responding to details about the investment.
In another email about the Western United investment, dated February 19, 2019, Pendlebury wrote: “Will print off, read and mark up questions or things I don’t understand and send back. Do you have any idea yet of what Return on investment you’re aiming for? Or still up in the air depending on how you optimise the land holdings?”.
Pendlebury had claimed in a writ, filed in October, that Sourasis had transferred $2.1m from his Macquarie bank account “without his knowledge” – most of which was put into an account linked to Western United.
The Pies star also claimed that Sourasis owed him $300,000 at an interest rate of 50 per cent per year.
His total claim was almost $3m, with the loan allegedly incurring more than $375,000 in interest so far.
Sourasis’ defence rejected the claims, saying that Pendlebury knew of the transactions and still held shares in the Western Melbourne Group.
“Copies of financial statements and tax returns, signed by Pendlebury … which record profits received and tax paid … may be provided upon request and will be provided following discovery,” the defence states.
The defence also details some of Pendlebury’s other investments with Sourasis.
The pair was involved in short term lending, a wine company called Elite Estate Wine and Playcorp, a game development studio.
Pendlebury also allowed his money to be loaned on a short-term basis for a home loan, with promises of up to 20 per cent returns or a default on the property.
“So if they default we lost our money but go after the house and then sell and make money that way?” he asked Sourasis in an email dated September 5, 2016.
When that loan was repaid in 2017, and the footballer made a $44,721 profit, Pendlebury wrote: “Yeh that investment has been a good little earn, never complain about making money.”
Pendlebury’s statement of claim also listed transactions worth $498,000 related to “Seaford Beach”.
Sourasis’ defence states that the money was linked to a Nepean Highway apartment development that netted the footballer a $455,200 profit.
Pendlebury still owns 3,197,200 units in the Western Melbourne Group, the company that owns the soccer club.
Western United lost its licence to play in the A-League this year but the club said in a statement in September that it was “determined to return in the 2026/27 A-Leagues season.”
Multinational company KAM Sports had agreed to pay $100m for a stake in Western United in May, but pulled out of the deal in August, leaving the club in limbo.
The Australian Taxation Office applied for a winding-up order against Western Melbourne Group in September.
Western Melbourne Group has since been trying to settle its multimillion tax debt to get that order revoked.
The Western Melbourne Group has a contract with Wyndham City Council to develop 62ha of land around the club’s home ground.
That deal will remain intact, with Wyndham City Council saying in October that it “remains deeply committed to this unique initiative, which has the potential to unlock an extraordinary level of public value”.
Pendlebury, now 37, has been one of the AFL’s highest paid players.
He is seven games short of Kangaroos’ legend Brent Harvey’s 432-game record for most games played in the AFL.
Sourasis and his companies managed Pendlebury’s lucrative contract negotiations and investments until they fell out earlier this year.
The Pendleburys sold their former Elwood home for about $6.5m in 2022, to help fund the purchase of their current, $7m Sandringham show home, which they are yet to pay off despite Scott’s likely retirement from the footy field following the 2026 or 2027 season.
According to publicly available documents, the couple took out a mortgage with Westpac to fund the purchase of the Sandringham home shortly after settlement.
His choice to hire renowned Fix-it lawyer Leon Zwier from law firm Arnold Block Leibler to spearhead the case against Sourasis will also place a strain on the Pendleburys’ finances, with the case now threatening to run to trial.
Partners at top commercial law firms typically “bill out” at between $1000 and $1600 per hour.
Originally published as The texts, emails that could cost Pendlebury millions
