Ricky Nixon’s charges relate to sale of footballs he claimed were signed by Melbourne players

The former AFL player agent is facing more drama over “quite serious offending” but he has hit back saying “it’s total and utter bulls**t”.

A warrant has been issued for Ricky Nixon’s arrest. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

An arrest warrant has been issued for controversial Melbourne identity Ricky Nixon.

Mr Nixon, 58, failed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’’ Court on Monday on charges related to the sale of allegedly fraudulent AFL premiership memorabilia.

The former player agent is charged with 10 counts of obtaining property by deception related to the sale of footballs he claimed were signed by Melbourne Demons players following their historic 2021 grand final win.

Magistrate James Henderson noted Mr Nixon was a no show in court late Monday afternoon and issued a warrant for his arrest.

Ricky Nixon did not appear in court on Monday. Picture: AAP

The court heard the charges against Mr Nixon represented “quite serious offending”.

The warrant gives police the power to arrest Mr Nixon and bring him to court to face the charges.

On Monday night Ricky Nixon told the Herald Sun: “I just found out about this. The court has issued a public apology. Police have offered an apology. Told us it had been adjourned and it’s a disgrace. Total and utter bulls**t.”

Charge sheets accuse Mr Nixon of deception by “purport(ing) the signatures which appeared on a commemorative football to be the genuine signatures of the players from the 2021 Melbourne Football Club premiership team”.

The 10 alleged deceptions took place on October 1 and amounted to almost $6000.

The allegedly fake footballs were sold by Mr Nixon for $575 plus $20 postage, with buyers told the fee would be donated to a children’s charity.

They quickly roused suspicion after buyers noticed Charlie Spargo’s signature was written next to a No.8 when he wears a No.9.

Police and the AFL investigated the claims, resulting in charges laid against Mr Nixon last November.

The footballs sold by Mr Nixon underwent extensive forensic testing as part of the police investigation.

Several members of Melbourne Football Club were interviewed by detectives.

They included Christian Petracca and Charlie Spargo who confirmed they’d never signed the footballs.

Mr Nixon previously claimed he was in fact a victim in the alleged fraud scandal.

He claimed he purchased the signed footballs from a person purporting to work for an AFL licensee and that several were swapped out for illegitimate balls forged by a suspected drug addict.

Mr Nixon told Sam Newman’s podcast, You Cannot Be Serious, he’d been wrongly blamed for the scandal and had hired private investigators to look into the matter.

“To my surprise and total shock three of the balls were fake,” Mr Nixon said in the podcast.

“I have since found out second and third hand that someone purporting to work for an AFL licensee and who may be an ice addict forged those balls and I am the person copping the blame for it.

“I am the one who’s been stooged – not the other way around.”

At the time, Mr Nixon vowed to take legal action against the dodgy alleged football seller.

“I have had two private investigators look into it,” he said.

“I am going to put a major legal case against them.”

Mr Newman and Mr Nixon’s relationship has since soured.

Last October Mr Newman slapped Mr Nixon across the face over a financial dispute.

A day before his hearing, Mr Nixon wrote on Facebook that he was in Bendigo for a family catch up.

He was noticeably absent on social media on Monday.