NRL star Mark Gasnier accused of using family trust to buy house

The bitter battle between Mark Gasnier and his brother has reached new heights, with the NRL star being accused of siphoning money from their family business to purchase a luxury home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

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NRL legend Mark Gasnier said he is looking forward to the day his side of a bitter multimillion-dollar property dispute with his brother is aired in court.

Mark has won a legal skirmish where his brother Dean tried to use details of Mark’s contract with the St George Illawarra Dragons as evidence in a series of allegations over the use of money in the family ­business.

Dean also claimed his State of Origin-star brother siphoned money from their family business to purchase a luxury home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Former Dragons player Mark Gasnier is embroiled in a bitter court battle with his brother Dean. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty

The premiership winner denied both allegations and the pair are now set to face off in the NSW Supreme Court where Mark said he will have plenty to say during their 10-day hearing.

“The beauty of it is we get to have it out in open court,” Mark said.

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Mark, 37, now a Fox Sports NRL commentator, launched legal action in June 2016 after falling out with his sibling over a Woolooware ­property the pair owned through their family business and were planning to redevelop.

The Woolooware property was bought in 2008 by the Gasnier’s family business with each brother to outlay an equal amount of money.

In August 2016, the court appoin­ted an independent forensic accountant who found Dean had contributed $191,924 less than Mark.

Mark Gasnier bought this house in Avalon Beach for $1.8 million, causing further friction with his brother.

The case got uglier this month when Dean claimed Mark took a bank loan using the family business without his knowledge and used it to purchase the $1.8 million house at ritzy Avalon Beach.

The St George Illawarra premiership winner’s older sibling claims his brother secured the loan for the ­Avalon house against the Woolooware property.

Mark bought the three-bedroom home, which features a poolside bar, and sits on one of Avalon’s most prestigious streets, in March 2013, according to property records.

Dean’s lawyers tried to have Mark’s financial and payment records from the Dragons aired in court.

But Justice James Stevenson ­decided against the material being ­allowed as evidence, declaring their demands for Dean’s financial records a “fishing” expedition.

On top of the payment records from the Dragons, Dean’s lawyers had also tried to unearth Mark’s ­financial and business records from HSBC, a real estate agent and a ­solicitor.

Mark Gasnier with his wife Claudine, daughter Havanna and son Kalani at their Avalon house in 2015.

The lawyers made allegations in court to argue why they should be ­released.

This included that Mark had ­deposited money from third party sponsorship deals during his playing days into the Gasnier Family Trust account, which were not declared as income.

Then there was a reference by Dean’s lawyers to their father, John, being paid money for work done to the Bonnet Bay home of ex-Dragons CEO Peter Doust.

Gasnier said his brother’s allegations were false.

“We addressed their unsubstantiated claims in our submissions to which the judge agreed and set aside the subpoenas,” Mark said.

Dean was ordered to pay for Mark’s legal costs for the hearing about the subpoenas.

The NSW Supreme Court hearing is scheduled for October 21.

Originally published as NRL star Mark Gasnier accused of using family trust to buy house