Police raid homes over Dally M Coach of the Year scandal
Police are investigating whether there was a leak from within a data company that Dally M judges use to cast secret votes with bets on Craig Bellamy to win coach of the year placed after the award was decided.
NSW
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Three inner-Sydney properties raided over the Dally M betting scandal on Wednesday were all linked to the company which fields votes on the awards from judges.
Officers searched the Paddington home of Joshua Wilson, who runs data company Stat Edge, as well as a second residence in Waterloo and a Surry Hills office.
They made no arrests but detectives left with computers, electronic devices and documents.
Police are investigating winnings of around $20,000 from bets placed on Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy to win the award. The bets were placed after Bellamy had been determined the winner in secret.
Stat Edge is a data firm Dally M judges use to cast their confidential votes. Police are now investigating whether there was a leak from within the company before betting closed for the October 2 event. There is no suggestion Mr Wilson was the leak.
No NRL player, coach or official is suspected of any involvement, nor is anyone from the event’s broadcast partner Fox Sports.
Bellamy was always a chance to take out the award on the NRL’s night-of-nights given Melbourne finished the regular season in first place.
But there was some obvious competition. Canberra’s Ricky Stuart steered his side to the grand final after they finished second last the previous year.
And Brad Arthur took the Parramatta Eels to the second week of the finals a year after they won the wooden spoon.
Bellamy was paying $7 to win at one stage – an outsider as far as bookmakers were concerned.
So at least one betting agency raised suspicion after the late money arrived on the Melbourne coaching legend.
The NRL’s integrity unit was informed and they passed it onto police.
The State Crime Command’s Organised Crime Squad took carriage of the investigation, labelling it Strike Force Mirrabei.
Yesterday, seven months after the Dally M Awards, officers zeroed in on three premises.
“Officers attached to the Organised Crime Squad’s Casino and Racing Investigation Unit (CRIU), executed search warrants as part of an ongoing investigation into reported betting activity surrounding an award for the National Rugby League competition,” police confirmed in a statement.
“Search warrants were conducted at two separate residences in Paddington and Waterloo and a business premises in Surry Hills. Investigators seized documents, electronic devices and computers.
“Inquiries are continuing under Strike Force Mirrabei.” The raids came just a week before the 2020 NRL season is set to restart on May 28.