Former AFL umpire Troy Pannell hit with new charges

Troy Pannell, the former AFL umpire accused of a $8.7 million fraud, is facing new charges on an unrelated matter.

Former umpire Troy Pannell has been charged with theft and driving offences in the latest twist to his $8.7 million fraud saga.

Mr Pannell has been listed to appear in the Heidelberg Magistrates Court on July 1 on the criminal charges.

He was also due to appear in the Victoria’s Supreme Court on Friday in a civil case linked to the alleged defrauding of his former employer SeaRoad Shipping.

Mr Pannell has been charged with contempt of court in that case for failing to attend at least three previous hearings.

Mr Pannell was involved in an accident on the Daylesford and Malmsbury Road near Wheatsheaf on June 8.

His van ran off the road after he had failed to stop for Victoria Police, who were trying to enforce a warrant for his arrest for contempt of court.

Former umpire Troy Pannell is facing new charges. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Pannell received treatment but was arrested by police on Sunday, June 15, for theft and driving offences.

Those charges were not related to the $8.7 million alleged fraud and Mr Pannell was believed to be in custody after a court previously heard that he was a flight risk.

Court documents from the SeaRoad case have also sought to find out why Mr Pannell sold a horse called Aimee’s Jewel to Maree Wilke, which had been valued at $450,000 by Inglis Insurance Brokers.

Ms Wilke had attended court earlier this year after she was subpoenaed to provide details about the transaction, which also involved Ciaron Maher Racing.

Court documents state that SeaRoad Shipping has sought “all documents recording or evidencing any sale of the Filly from the First Defendant to Maree Wilke.”

Common Galaxia in Seddon in Melbourne’s west, a cafe owned by Troy Pannell, is now closed. Picture: Josephine Quattrocchi.

Pannell during the NAB Cup match between the Brisbane Lions and the St Kilda Saints at the Gold Coast Stadium.

They were also seeking “all documents recording or evidencing the sale of the Filly to Blueblood Thoroughbreds / Ciaron Mather Racing, NSW on about 2 March 2025.”

Ms Wilke has declined to comment when approached, directing questions to her lawyer Carol Grimshaw.

LST Hospitality, the holding company that Mr Pannell and his wife used to control two cafes, Common Galaxia in Seddon in Melbourne’s inner west and Duck Duck Goose and Larder in Kyneton, country Victoria, has gone into liquidation.

An insolvency notice listed on the Australian Securities and Investments Commission states that the company was in the hands of liquidators Roberto Crispino and Richard Albarran.

Mr Pannell’s former employer claimed in a civil case in Victoria’s Supreme Court that he had paid $8.7 million from SeaRoad Shipping’s accounts to a container repair supplier that he owned.

There were approximately 10,000 payments of about $800 each over more than a decade to the company, but allegedly no repair work was carried out.

There is no evidence to show what happened to the money that was paid to independent Container Surveyor’s and Assessor’s Pty Ltd, of which Mr Pannell was sole shareholder and director.

Originally published as Former AFL umpire Troy Pannell hit with new charges