Erin Patterson’s barrister Colin Mandy SC and barrister Daniel Sala hired by Phil Egan

Ex-AFL player and Hawthorn racism report author Phil Egan has hired a star defence team as he faces court over accusations he swindled almost $800k through fake invoices.

Former AFL player and Hawthorn racism report author Phil Egan has hired a star defence team as he faces court over accusations he swindled almost $800k through fake invoices from an Indigenous group.

Egan, 61, has recruited accused mushroom murderer Erin Patterson’s barrister, Colin Mandy SC, and barrister Daniel Sala to run his defence against dozens of fraud charges.

The ex-Richmond forward is accused of fraud from his time as chief executive of the Murray Valley Aboriginal Co-Operation, which offers crisis, health, and education services to the Indigenous community near Mildura.

Wearing a blue jumper over a lighter blue shirt, Egan could be seen taking notes on a laptop on the first day of his week-long Melbourne Magistrates’ Court hearing, where the evidence against him is being tested.

Phil Egan arriving at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on August 12. Picture: David Crosling

Court documents from an earlier hearing revealed that Egan, from Aberfeldie, faced 73 charges for allegedly stealing $779,246.72 through 52 invoices paid by the MVAC.

Three MVAC executives gave evidence on Monday, including chief executive Paul O’Neill, corporate business manager Mary Khouri and former CEO Gary Letts.

Mr Neill was quizzed about a meeting he had with Egan, which he recorded, at Mildura’s Jaycee Park while he was under investigation by Victoria Police.

He said he “saw Mr Egan record the conversation on his phone” so he pulled out his own phone and hit record.

“There wasn’t a great deal of trust,” Mr Neill said.

The defence team quizzed the trio about the day-to-day running of the government-funded organisation, which was put into administration in 2015.

But Mr Neill said it has since increased its revenue by more than $7m, to $9.3m, and had gone from six staff to now employing 65 people.

Egan was arrested by the Financial Crime Squad in February 2023 amid accusations of fraud over the management of the Robinvale organisation between 2010 to 2015.

He has previously denied any wrongdoing.

Asked outside court if he would like to make a comment, Egan replied: “At the end of the week.”

He will return to court before Magistrate Malcolm Thomas on Tuesday.

The former VFL star authored the 2022 Hawthorn racism report, or Cultural Safety Review.

The explosive report was commissioned after Cyril Rioli and others made allegations of mistreatment by former senior coach and now Roos coach Alastair Clarkson, ex-football boss and now Brisbane coach Chris Fagan, and former Hawks welfare manager Jason Burt.

Rioli and others last week launched Federal Court action against Hawthorn.