Former AFL umpire Troy Pannell wanted by Victorian court over alleged $8.7 million shipping container fraud

A former AFL umpire is wanted by a court after failing to appear over allegations he was behind an $8.7 million fraud scheme.

Troy Pannell, who AFL fans will remember for a 2016 match where he awarded 17 free kicks to the Western Bulldogs while only giving one to Adelaide, is accused of orchestrating a fake invoice scheme at a shipping company he worked for and pocketing the funds paid to a company he was the sole director of.

Pannell, who is involved in the horse racing industry, was a whistleblower in 291 AFL games from 2005 to 2018.

He allegedly defrauded shipping company SeaRoad Shipping $8.7 million over a decade, while working out of the Port of Melbourne, according to the Herald Sun.

The scheme allegedly involved Pannell generating invoices to pay a company named Independent Container Surveyors & Assessors (ICSA) to repair damaged shipping containers. Each “repair” cost SeaRoad $800 to $900.

It is alleged Pannell had authority to approve purchase orders up to the value of $5000, and it was only when a finance manager noticed ICSA was not registered for GST that suspicions were raised.

SeaRoad alleges ICSA did no work to repair any containers and never checked the work had been done as it trusted Pannell to follow the proper processes of the company.

“SeaRoad is satisfied you have committed serious misconduct. You have been the sole shareholder and director of ICSA from 2010 to date. We find your response that you did not know you held these positions to be fanciful,” a letter from SeaRoad to Pannell, tendered in the civil court case, read.

The Victorian Supreme Court heard Pannell was believed to be in South Australia but may have fled overseas.

A barrister for SeaRoad told the court placing Pannell on the Australian Federal Police’s watchlist would stop him from travelling out of the country to somewhere like Colombia.

The warrant is expected to be issued in the coming days.

Mr Pannell is not facing criminal charges.