SportsFlick founder Dylan Azzopardi allegedly used fraudulent documents to secure streaming rights to Rugby World Cup
A $30 million deal with an Australian hotel chain and an invoice from a television company are among the fraudulent documents allegedly used by a western Sydney man to secure streaming rights for the Rugby World Cup.
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A western Sydney man who founded the streaming service SportsFlick allegedly used fraudulent evidence of a $30 million deal with a hotel chain and other false documents to secure sports streaming rights.
Dylan Azzopardi, 29, of Riverstone, appeared before Blacktown Local Court on Thursday on nine charges of using a false document to obtain financial advantage, as well as obtaining financial advantage by deception.
In July 2021, Sydney City police launched an investigation into reports of an alleged fraudulent business deal over streaming rights for a sporting tournament, later identified in court as the 2021 Rugby World Cup.
On January 20 last year, detectives executed a search warrant at a home in William St in Riverstone, with assistance from Riverstone and North West Metropolitan Region police officers.
Several items found at the location were seized, including electronic storage devices and documentation.
Azzopardi was arrested at the property and taken to Blacktown police station.
Police allege Azzopardi produced fraudulent documents to secure $2.09 million in funding for a streaming service to place a bid for filming rights for the sporting tournament.
Court documents obtained by this publication can now reveal the documents Azzopardi is alleged to have produced, including two separate fraudulent receipts of $1 million transactions.
In June 2021, Azzopardi is alleged to have used a fraudulent $30 million deal with the Australian Hotels and an invoice from RDA Television LLP for $9 million relating to the purchase of the media rights.
Azzopardi is further alleged to have used a false sub-licence agreement as well as a loan agreement which he allegedly knew to be false. Further receipts to the amount of $9 million and $100,000 were also allegedly used.
Azzopardi did not appear in person on Wednesday, neither did his lawyer.
Over the phone, his lawyer asked for the matter to be adjourned.
A representative of the police prosecution told the court registrar the NSW Department of Public Prosecution had elected to take carriage of the matter, and would thus be adjourned for eight weeks.
Azzopardi will reappear before the court on March 30.
He remains on conditional bail.
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