Mark Dennis arrested in Thai bust has links to Aussie sports stars

Former Sydney businessman Mark Dennis was among 13 foreign nationals arrested in a multimillion-dollar Asian boiler-room scam inquiry.

EXCLUSIVE

A former Sydney businessman arrested in a multimillion-dollar Asian boiler-room scam inquiry had been linked to some of the country’s biggest sporting names in a previous unrelated business venture.

Mark Dennis was among 13 foreign nationals detained this week in the sprawling joint operation by the Australian Federal Police and Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau.

Five of those arrested when Operation Firestorm officers swooped on a luxury house in Bang Phli district were Australians.

Mr Dennis, 54, and Mark Howship, a 56-year-old Englishman, are accused of running the investment bond racket, which had allegedly fleeced millions from Australian mum and dad investors.

A list of thousands of potential targets Down Under was allegedly seized by detectives.

Mr Dennis is known for having set up the BetsOnBoys gambling website in Australia.

He is a lifelong Cronulla Sharks rugby league fan and has been pictured celebrating premierships and fraternising with some of the club’s big names.

Boiler-room scam accused Mark Dennis, pictured here with the NRL premiership trophy.

Former Shark Todd Carney provided BetsOnBoys subscribers with tips when Dennis ran the website.

Mr Dennis has been based in Asia for some years, operating from Thailand and Bali and making trips to Sydney and Singapore.

A 2023 bulletin sent by BetsOnBoys, accompanied by a photo with Carney and ex-Shark Andrew Fifita, said he had been a bookie for 25 years and brought contacts from within the sport and racing industries.

“Mark’s connections, especially within NRL circles, has (sic) brought many years of fun and games in Bali,” it said.

“There’s some great parties coming up after the NRL and AFL grand finals again next year and subscribers and members will be invited to take part in the shenanigans .... but be warned, `what happens in Bali stays in Bali’.”

Mark Dennis with former Cronulla Sharks Todd Carney and Andrew Fifita.

It is understood that Carney and Fifita had no involvement in wrongdoing or the alleged investment bond scheme at all.

Those arrested this week in Thailand were later charged with conspiracy to commit an offence, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

A statement from the AFP alleged evidence found at the scene of the raid indicated they had amassed $1.9 million in stolen money in the space of two months.

Firestorm began after the AFP passed on intelligence to the Royal Thai Police alleging that Australians had been recruited by the syndicate.

“It is alleged the scammers pretended to be representatives of international financial firms to sell fake high-yield fixed-income bonds,” the AFP statement said.

It will be alleged that those involved built trust with victims using a carefully prepared script incorporating high-pressure sales techniques, fake documentation and an authentic financial services licence.

Royal Thai Police officers allegedly seized dozens of mobile phones and laptops as they searched the highly secure six-bedroom house at the centre of the investigation.

They allegedly carried out face-to-face online meetings and quickly moved their victims’ money into cryptocurrency, then other accounts.

Royal Thai Police officers allegedly seized dozens of mobile phones and laptops as they searched the highly secure six-bedroom house at the centre of the investigation.

Authorities are working to establish whether some victims can be repaid their losses.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Richard Chin alleged it was one of the most elaborate investment schemes the organisation had come across.

He alleged thousands of potential victims had been spared being ripped off.

“South-east Asia is fast becoming a hotspot for scam centre activity,” Mr Chin said.

“Since the establishment of the AFP-led Operation Firestorm, three scam centres in Manila have been taken down, resulting in the seizure of thousands of digital devices and hundreds of arrests.

Originally published as Mark Dennis arrested in Thai bust has links to Aussie sports stars