Ryan Tandy + J. Elias & S. Ayoub Arrested

[redemption]

kind of obvious he was involved. He knocked on an easy take which handed over possession and then gave away the penalty. **Hard to prove conclusively though.**

Especially considering their sting failed. Assuming they are paid on completion of the sting, they have no records of anybody being paid to do anything.

You are clutching at strawers sabre & MM!

Conspiracy to defraud denotes **INTENT** - NOT the material success of said scheme!

This has been a 5+ month investigation - & evidently (just based on the initial charge)- some of his co-conspirators have given him up in return for immunity!

 

[Marshall_magic]

kind of obvious he was involved. He knocked on an easy take which handed over possession and then gave away the penalty. **Hard to prove conclusively though.**

Especially considering their sting failed. Assuming they are paid on completion of the sting, they have no records of anybody being paid to do anything.

You are clutching at strawers sabre & MM!

Conspiracy to defraud denotes **INTENT** - NOT the material success of said scheme!

This has been a 5+ month investigation - & evidently (just based on the initial charge)- some of his co-conspirators have given him up in return for immunity!

Again, it's hard to prove unless someone comes clean, because there will be no hard evidence. If everybody keeps their traps shut, it will be difficult to prove beyond reasonable doubt (we are talking about him dropping a ball and giving away a penalty, which without a confession is hard to prove intentional). As it stands now he has only been charged with giving a false statement, and if it stays that way he is very lucky.

 

[redemption]

[
Especially considering their sting failed. Assuming they are paid on completion of the sting, they have no records of anybody being paid to do anything.

You are clutching at strawers sabre & MM!

Conspiracy to defraud denotes **INTENT** - NOT the material success of said scheme!

This has been a 5+ month investigation - & evidently (just based on the initial charge)- some of his co-conspirators have given him up in return for immunity!

Again, it's hard to prove unless someone comes clean, because there will be no hard evidence. If everybody keeps their traps shut, it will be difficult to prove beyond reasonable doubt (we are talking about him dropping a ball and giving away a penalty, which without a confession is hard to prove intentional). **As it stands now he has only been charged with giving a false statement**, and if it stays that way he is very lucky.

Mate - that charge alone patently indicates that (at the very least) - one person has rolled-over during SCC interviews (in order to gain immunity from prosecution)!

How else do you assert dishonesty - you need more than one contradictory statement for the DPP to raise the charge!

 

[Marshall_magic]

Mate - that charge alone patently indicates that (at the very least) - one person has rolled-over during SCC interviews (in order to gain immunity from prosecution)!

How else do you assert dishonesty - you need more than one contradictory statement for the DPP to raise the charge!

Depends what point he has lied on, but if someone has spilled their guts and come clean about everything they should be able to get him for more than just giving a false statement you would think.

Personally I hope everyone involved gets rubbed out of our game for good.

 

[redemption]

Cheers mate!

No arguments from me!

 

[Yossarian]

Mate - that charge alone patently indicates that (at the very least) - one person has rolled-over during SCC interviews (in order to gain immunity from prosecution)!

How else do you assert dishonesty - you need more than one contradictory statement for the DPP to raise the charge!

NSWCC examination witnesses already have immunity from prosecution… Also that evidence can't be used as evidence unless they lie. I'd say though that someone has given a statement subsequent to that testimony which would be admissible. I want to be careful here but I know my money would be on (pardon the pun)...

 

[farahfan]

Tandy could face jail after misleading evidence charge

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/tandy-could-face-jail-after-misleading-evidence-charge-20110202-1adv1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RYAN TANDY'S freedom is at stake after the Bulldogs prop was yesterday charged by police with an offence that, if proved, could land him in jail for up to five years.

Usually, a 29-year-old journeyman, who has played for five NRL clubs, would be most concerned about how he could extend his career for a few more years - but that is the least of Tandy's worries after he was charged with giving false or misleading evidence at a NSW Crime Commission hearing.

The commission has been interviewing people for almost two weeks as an extension of an investigation by Strike Force Suburb, from the Casino and Racing Investigation Unit, into suspicious betting activity on an NRL game between the Bulldogs and North Queensland last August.

The Herald has been told police should know by the end of this month whether they will lay charges over what they regard as extreme irregularities surrounding the game. Punters plunged on a Cowboys penalty goal as the first scoring play, an option regarded as a novelty that attracts little interest. Detective Superintendent Arthur Katsogiannis said yesterday punters stood to win ''in excess of $300,000, from the information we have at hand''.

The plunge did not come off, but there was an opportunity for it to be successful after Tandy was penalised in front of his team's posts for laying on the tackled player in the second minute of the game. Instead of taking a shot at goal, the Cowboys took a quick tap and opened the scoring with a try out wide.

Asked if, as a result of the investigation so far, he was satisfied something untoward had happened in the game, Katsogiannis replied: ''We certainly have an overview of what may have occurred on that day, but I'm not prepared to comment on what that is.''

On whether he was confident charges would be laid, he said: ''I can't comment on that. Our investigation will be ongoing. We want to finish it just as quickly as everybody else, we don't want to prolong it, but I'm not going to rush through it either just to get finality out of it.''

The charge laid against Tandy yesterday is a separate issue, and came after police executed search warrants at three residences - in Bronte, Strathfield and Punchbowl - on Tuesday. Documents and mobile phones were seized and, Katsogiannis said, would be forensically examined.

Asked how the charge Tandy faced rated on the scale in terms of a possible penalty if he were found guilty, Katsogiannis replied: ''I wouldn't be prepared to speculate on that.''

Tandy was arrested in Sydney's CBD at about 11.15am and taken to City Central police station. Several hours later, he was charged and granted conditional bail. He will appear at the Downing Centre Local Court on March 3.

''We have been keeping the NRL informed,'' Katsogiannis said. ''They have been very helpful to us, and as information comes to hand we do release it to them. They were the complainants, so it's important to us to keep them appraised.

''There are a number of offences that we're looking at, but, again, at the end of the day it will be whether we have enough evidence to proceed with any charges once we complete the investigation.''

NRL chief executive David Gallop said yesterday: ''It remains a police matter and any comment on the investigations as they continue should be through the police until we are advised otherwise.''

It is known Tandy's manager, Sam Ayoub, placed a bet on the Cowboys penalty goal option, as did Tandy's friend Michael Cook. Parramatta halfback Brad Murray, who is also managed by Ayoub, was shown on CCTV footage placing a bet on the option as well. Placing those bets does not imply any wrongdoing, and Ayoub and Tandy have strongly denied being involved in anything untoward. The Herald yesterday contacted Danny Eid, the lawyer who represents Tandy, Ayoub and Murray. He declined to comment.

 

[redemption]

Mate - that charge alone patently indicates that (at the very least) - one person has rolled-over during SCC interviews (in order to gain immunity from prosecution)!

How else do you assert dishonesty - you need more than one contradictory statement for the DPP to raise the charge!

NSWCC examination witnesses already have immunity from prosecution… Also that evidence can't be used as evidence unless they lie. **I'd say though that someone has given a statement subsequent to that testimony which would be admissible.** I want to be careful here but I know my money would be on (pardon the pun)...

Everything before the SCC is 'admissable' as evidence - except perjured statements yoss!

You are right however that criminal admissions before the SCC are mandatorily immune from further prosecution!

But those statements remain admissable evidence in further court proceedings against the non-immune!

 

[redemption]

EARLY morning home raids, cars searched, mobile phones confiscated, computers seized and a player accused of lying to police.

Welcome to the most dramatic and tumultuous NRL pre-season imaginable, with only Cyclone Yasi keeping the game and its latest scandal off the front pages.

The NRL betting sting investigation into last year's Bulldogs-Cowboys game resulted in the arrest yesterday of Bulldogs front-rower Ryan Tandy (pictured) on a charge of giving false and misleading information to a law enforcement agency.

It is a serious allegation that if proven could lead to a jail term of up to five years. Tandy was granted conditional bail and will appear at the Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday, March 3.

Both Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg and the NRL last night indicated they would wait until the outcome of the court case before making a decision on Tandy's future in the game.

Tandy was the player who gave away a highly suspicious penalty early in the match against the Cowboys following a huge plunge on a penalty goal as the first scoring option.

Tandy has denied that his conduct was deliberate or tied to the betting.

His arrest at 11.30am in the Sydney CBD followed a series of simultaneous home raids by investigating detectives early on Tuesday morning.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal police were knocking on the door of Tandy's rented Bronte apartment at 7am, while at the same time raiding player agent **Sam Ayoub** at Strathfield and colourful rugby league identity **John Elias**, who lives with his mother at Punchbowl.

Ayoub, who has denied any illegal activity, shares the house with former Roosters and now Parramatta player Brad Murray, who was caught on CCTV footage placing substantial bets on the option of the Cowboys scoring first points from a penalty goal.

When contacted by The Daily Telegraph, Ayoub said: "I don't know who is telling you things … I'm with people - I've got to go."

After leaving Ayoub's house and seizing a mobile phone and documents, a witness said police then searched his BMW that was parked in the driveway.

In Punchbowl, detectives showed Elias still photos from CCTV footage of a man placing bets on the game at the Rozelle and Haberfield TAB agencies - then asked if it was him.

Elias confirmed he was the person in the photos but denies any involvement in a sting.

"Is there any law against having a bet," Elias said.

The NRL is resisting pressure to stand Tandy down. "A number of players have played when they have been charged," said spokesman John Brady.

"We do not have the information that allows us to take a view at the moment. It was a closed hearing with the police before it goes to court.

"We need to give the police investigation full opportunity to determine what happened and that is our view at the moment."

-------

Faffy needs to get these mutts out of his circle NOW!

 

[redemption]

IT'S 7am, Tuesday morning. Police officers, armed with search warrants, converge simultaneously on the homes of Bulldogs star Ryan Tandy, player agent Sam Ayoub and former NRL star John Elias.

Tandy is asleep in his rented apartment at Bronte. Ayoub is getting ready for work in the Strathfield house he shares with former Roosters and now Parramatta Eels player Brad Murray.

The colourful Elias, who recently wrote a book about his involvement in various crimes and time behind bars, lives with his mother at Punchbowl.

It's the same house premiership-winning coach Wayne Bennett has been known to visit to enjoy Elias's mum's lasagne. There is no suggestion Bennett is in any way implicated in the inquiry. He's just a close family friend.

But Tuesday morning's visits are strictly business as police search for any breakthrough evidence in the NRL betting scandal from the highly suspicious Cowboys-Bulldogs game late last season.

Officers raid the houses, search cars, confiscate mobile phones and seize computer equipment. When approached by The Daily Telegraph yesterday about having his home raided and BMW searched, Ayoub refused to comment and who has denied any illegal activity.

**"I don't know who is telling you things," Ayoub said. "I'm with people - I've got to go," he added, before hanging up.**

Ayoub is Tandy's manager, the player who gave away the controversial penalty which sparked the Racing NSW stewards inquiry that was later passed over to police.

Ayoub, who shares the house with Murray, was captured on CCTV footage placing substantial bets on the option of Cowboys scoring first points from a penalty goal.

Ayoub has confirmed he placed a bet on a Cowboys penalty goal as the first score but says it's an option he often takes when gambling on NRL games. Elias said he was shocked when police knocked on his door, although he was aware of the rumours that he bet heavily on the game and the penalty goal option under investigation.

"Is there now a law against having a bet?" Elias said. "I have done absolutely nothing wrong. People know I like to have a bet on the footy, but so do a lot of other fans."

The Daily Telegraph understands police showed Elias photos of a punter placing bets at the Rozelle and Haberfield TAB outlets and asked if it was him. He confirmed it was.

The raids followed four months of investigations by police, involving interviews with as many as 20 NRL players, officials and player managers.

What police uncovered from the raids on the three premises is a closely guarded secret. The detectives confirmed they seized relevant documentation and mobile phones, while another source said: "be prepared for more to come out at the Crime Commission this week."

The Daily Telegraph understands Ayoub, Murray and Tandy all appeared before the NSW Crime Commission within the last week before detectives raided their homes.

No findings of wrongdoing were made against them.

Tandy was recalled yesterday and later charged for allegedly providing false evidence to a law enforcement agency during an investigation.

At a press conference later, Detective Superintendent Arthur Katsogiannis claimed the information Tandy provided to police was far more serious than "a white lie".

"This is the type of lie that carries very serious ramifications," he alleged.

He refused to comment on how many other players would be charged in relation to the investigation.

"It's not a game - this is real life, and police will continue with their investigations in an endeavour to uncover the truth and ensure justice is done," Katsogiannis said.

"Detectives will continue to use every available resource to uncover the truth and complete their investigation.

"If anyone has been involved with, or has information about criminal activity regarding betting allegations, we urge them to come forward and assist police while they have the opportunity."

–------
??????

 

[Yossarian]

Mate - that charge alone patently indicates that (at the very least) - one person has rolled-over during SCC interviews (in order to gain immunity from prosecution)!

How else do you assert dishonesty - you need more than one contradictory statement for the DPP to raise the charge!

NSWCC examination witnesses already have immunity from prosecution… Also that evidence can't be used as evidence unless they lie. **I'd say though that someone has given a statement subsequent to that testimony which would be admissible.** I want to be careful here but I know my money would be on (pardon the pun)...

Everything before the SCC is 'admissable' as evidence - except perjured statements yoss!

You are right however that criminal admissions before the SCC are mandatorily immune from further prosecution!

But those statements remain admissable evidence in further court proceedings against the non-immune!

That's not true. I've sat in countless examinations over the years in my previous job. Witnesses are given a blanket protection against self-incrimination (well offered it and only a clown would say no - nobody did) and secondly their evidence can not be used in evidence unless the witness gives false and misleading evidence.

It has to be that way because the NSWCC and ACC examinations can compel the witness to answer all questions. The balance is, you can not refuse to answer but we can not use your evidence in a trial.

 

[Tommy Magpie]

Dogs - kick them out.

 

[redemption]

That's not true. I've sat in countless examinations over the years in my previous job. Witnesses are given a blanket protection against self-incrimination (well offered it and only a clown would say no - nobody did) and secondly their evidence can not be used in evidence unless the witness gives false and misleading evidence.

It has to be that way because the NSWCC and ACC examinations can compel the witness to answer all questions. The balance is, you can not refuse to answer but we can not use your evidence in a trial.

Thanks for the clarification yoss! I had been misinformed!

 

[Yossarian]

That's not true. I've sat in countless examinations over the years in my previous job. Witnesses are given a blanket protection against self-incrimination (well offered it and only a clown would say no - nobody did) and secondly their evidence can not be used in evidence unless the witness gives false and misleading evidence.

It has to be that way because the NSWCC and ACC examinations can compel the witness to answer all questions. The balance is, you can not refuse to answer but we can not use your evidence in a trial.

Thanks for the clarification yoss! I had been misinformed!

Never a problem for you Redemption - always happy when I can assist someone as knowledgable as you!

You will have noted that Tandy is being charged with giving false evidence and the penalty for that is potentially longer than any sentence he would have got for the actual crime. If it's true he's either an idiot or very scared of someone - there would be no reason to lie in an examination given the safeguards he had. It's an old tactic for police to put people in the star chamber and pretty much hope they tell a lie - it's often a lot easier than making the actual case against them. They could have put all these idiots through the NSWCC and they could all sung like birdies but without something else to prove the offence, it would have been interesting but useless.

 

[Tiger_Watto]

**Bookmakers warn gambling problem must be tackled head-on in wake of arrest of Bulldogs' Ryan Tandy**
By Brent Zerafa, The Daily Telegraph February 04, 2011 8:41AM

Leading bookmakers Alan Eskander and Michael Sullivan believe the NRL must ramp up their integrity services in the wake of the Cowboys-Bulldogs match if they are serious about stamping out suspicious betting activity on the sport.

Eskander, who runs corporate betting firm Betstar, maintains his belief that the game in the spotlight - over which Ryan Tandy has been charged with giving false and misleading evidence to police - was not the only match last season to raise eyebrows.

The Bulldogs stood down Tandy, saying 'following receipt of legal advice, it has been determined that it would be in the best interests of the club and Mr Tandy that he should be excused from his obligations until further notice.'

Tandy has denied any wrongdoing in the NRL betting sting investigation but he charge he faces is a serious allegation that, if proven, could lead to a jail term of up to five years.

Eskander pointed to the leaking of sensitive information such as injured players and team changes as the stem of the problem.

"It (suspicious betting activity) isn't rife but it happens enough for the NRL to take this very seriously," he said.

"Integrity is everything in sport and once you lose it, you lose everything.

"I believe the key to most of the problems is how sensitive information is released. Knowledge is power and some players need to understand the knowledge they have is very powerful.

"If I'm on the board of Telstra and I release sensitive information that is going to have a material effect on the price of the shares, then I can go to jail. It is insider trading."

NRL operations manager John Brady said his organisation was always looking to improve but he was satisfied with the integrity services in place.

"We are always looking for even better ways and we are working with a number of different sports on the best way to approach the situation," he said.

"We have had a number of discussions with bookmakers and the reality of it is that we have been at the forefront of getting the most expert people we can when there has been issues to look at and I don't think there is anyone better than Ray Murrihy or the NSW Police.

"There is often a failure to recognise the importance of those moves."

Michael Sullivan, CEO of Sportingbet Australia, said the increased betting turnover on the NRL had not matched the administration's approach to integrity services.

"Our turnover on NRL five years ago was $10 million, now it is $50 million," Sullivan said.

"We are continually learning and so is the NRL. We have got to speak to each other to ensure integrity is at a premium.

"Take a look at racing and the systems in place in terms of integrity. Slowly but surely the NRL needs to come in to that line. If they want to take the gambling dollar they have to start taking it seriously.

"We are very compliant with the NRL and it is in our interests to be. It is in the punters' interest.

"There are punters on the other end of this that get burnt. It is not just the bookies getting burnt."

Eskander last year reported questionable betting on several NRL matches - North Queensland Cowboys v Canterbury Bulldogs, Wests Tigers v Melbourne Storm, Sydney Roosters v Cowboys and St George Illawarra v South Sydney.

In each case there were extraordinary betting plunges on the line option before late team changes were named.

The Tigers were heavily backed at the line, which blew from 5.5 points to 11.5 points in a matter of hours. The Tigers were also backed from $1.50 into $1.25 favourites.

The Tigers won the match by 12 points. It was announced shortly before the game that a number of key Storm players, including international Greg Inglis, would not play. The same situation arose in the Dragons v Rabbitohs clash at Kogarah Oval in the final round, but the plunge did not come off.

With the Dragons securing the minor premiership and Souths playing for a spot in the finals, the line was crunched from 10.5 to 2.5 before it was announced several Dragons would be rested.

"The difficult thing in our game is that it is that is not a game of correct weight on Tuesday and late acceptances," Brady said.

"If a player is able to play, he should be given every chance to make the field and it is one of the natures of the game. It can be a frustration at times.

"But they would be more frustrated if a Darren Lockyer is ruled out and then becomes fit but can't play. They would be screaming the other way.

"Our game is one people bet around. It hasn't been set up for betting."

The NRL has already enforced one change to betting on next season's matches, with TAB Sportsbet scrapping the wooden spoon option in favour of a most losses market.

This has come to light after leaked information led to a large scale betting plunge on the Melbourne Storm salary cap rort, in which they were stripped of their premiership points.

 

[alien]

"It is known Tandy's manager, Sam Ayoub, placed a bet on the Cowboys penalty goal option, as did Tandy's friend Michael Cook. Parramatta halfback Brad Murray, who is also managed by Ayoub, was shown on CCTV footage placing a bet on the option as well."

Sounds guilty to me especially if they betted alot of money on that option.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

If Ayoub was involved in any capacity he should be deregistered as a NRL accredited agent.

 

[redemption]

A controversial identity has been implicated in the game's latest scandal, writes Kate McClymont.

When police investigating match-fixing allegations executed search warrants at a modest cream weatherboard house in Augusta Street in Punchbowl early on Tuesday morning, shivers must have run down the spines of rugby league supremos.

After all, sharing the house with his mum Susan is John Elias, jailed three times and a self-confessed match fixer, race rigger and stand-over man, whose connections to organised crime are breathtaking.

Across town, police also turned up at the far more glamorous two-storey Strathfield pile of **Elias's very good friend and one-time business partner, player agent Sam Ayoub.**

They also executed search warrants at Ayoub's client Ryan Tandy's home in Bronte. The following day the Bulldogs player was arrested and charged with giving false evidence to the NSW Crime Commission, which only involves itself in very serious organised crime investigations.

As organised crime connections go, they don't come much better than those of Elias.

While rugby league took up Elias's day time hours during the 1980s and '90s, at night time the footy star was doing armed robberies and stand-over work for the notorious crime boss Danny Karam.

Most of Karam's gang are now doing life in prison for a series of murders linked to the drug trade. Karam himself was gunned down in 1998, shot 16 times by his own deputy, Michael ''Doc'' Kanaan.

And then there is Elias's ''Kings Cross family'' headed by his good pal, John Ibrahim. ''John is now arguably the most influential man of his kind in Sydney, a Lebanese immigrant like myself but with infinitely more connections,'' wrote Elias in his autobiography Sin Bin, which was released last year.

Through his own time in jail for drugs and firearm offences, Elias cemented friendships with some of the nation's heaviest crime figures, including convicted murderer and drug trafficker Neddy Smith.

It was Smith, also doing a life term in jail, who smoothed the way for Elias to put $1 million with illegal bookies on the infamous match involving Wests and Elias's then-team Souths back in 1994.

According to Elias, he was at Chequers, a massage parlour in Chinatown, when he was approached by a stand-over man he'd witnessed knifing another prisoner while they were in jail together.

He gave Elias money to pay four Souths players $25,000 each to play badly, while four Wests players were offered the same to play well.

Knowing the outcome was a near certainty, Elias put $1 million with illegal bookies on a Wests victory.

The fix had eerie similarities to the alleged Cowboys-Bulldogs case of last year, where there was a plunge for the Cowboys to score first by way of a penalty goal. In both cases, it was the pre-game betting that set alarm bells ringing. Due to the 1994 plunge, the media speculated a fix was on.

In his book, Elias claimed that although Wests did go on to win, the fix was called off at the last moment. Others are not so sure.

''While there's no such thing as a certainty in gambling, there were ways to stack the odds in your favour,'' writes Elias in his book.

While betting scams were one thing, his forte was fixing trotting races. As he says himself: ''During the heyday the money was so good I didn't need to do any other work … we fixed up so many races and pulled off so many results it wasn't funny.''

Along with Ayoub, another person Elias singles out in his book is jailed drug kingpin Les Kalache.

Two of Kalache's close friends went to jail after lying about their attempts to bribe a colleague to wipe Kalache's fingerprints from scales police found during a drug raid.

''So where do I go from here?'' writes Elias in his book. ''Now that you know my life's story, I'm hoping you can be the judge.''

 

[Tiger_Watto]

**Thurston breaks silence on NRL Betting Scandal**
February 5, 2011 NRL News

The Cowboys officially have nothing to worry about in relation to the betting scandal, after they were cleared of any wrongdoing in light of the betting scandal which has already claimed one scalp in Ryan Tandy.

It comes as Cowboys five-eighth and captain Jonathon Thurston breaks his silence on the saga, with the Australian star remaining adamant that he had no involvement whatsoever. “All I can comment on is myself and I know I’ve got nothing to worry about,” Thurston said yesterday. “I’m sweet. I’m not worried at all. I’m pretty confident none of our boys are involved in any of this betting stuff.”

It was expected that in light of Tandy’s arrest, that the NSW police would move their attention to the Cowboys and their orgnaisation, after Tandy was charged with providing police with false evidence. Arthur Katsogiannis, the NSW Superintendent says that the Cowboys have nothing to worry about, unless fresh evidence was to come to the table in the future.

The Cowboys will be breathing a sign of relief, after their players were interviewed by police in relation to the betting scandal in October, as part of an investigation that has spanned for an incredible 5 months. “We’ve already spoken to the Cowboys players and as far as I’m concerned that part of the inquiry is complete,” Supt Katsogiannis told The Courier-Mail. “Of course, there may be further information that comes forward, but at this point in time the North Queensland aspect of the investigation is complete.”

For Thurston, he was inadvertently brought into the saga, following the house raid of his manager Sam Ayoub, who is believed to be a catalyst in the whole saga. Ayoub, who ironically, is also the manager of Ryan Tandy, has denied any wrongdoing in the betting scandal. He did confirm that he placed a bet on the Cowboys scoring an early field goal, but claimed that it was an option that he bet on almost every week.

Thurston continued to maintain his innocence, and that he had never been contacted by NSW Police to speak to them about the betting scandal. “I never spoke to the police. I wasn’t around [when NSW detectives flew north to interview Cowboys players] and they never asked to speak to me. “If they have got anything on me, they can come and talk to me. They’d be wasting their time because I have nothing to hide.”

In relation to the allegations that are surrounding Thurston’s manager Sam Ayoub, Thurston said, “”It doesn’t faze me at all the stuff with Sam. He’s my manager and I trust him.”

 

[Yossarian]

For Thurston, he was inadvertently brought into the saga, following the house raid of his manager Sam Ayoub, who is believed to be a catalyst in the whole saga. Ayoub, who **ironically**, is also the manager of Ryan Tandy, has denied any wrongdoing in the betting scandal. He did confirm that he placed a bet on the Cowboys scoring an early field goal, but claimed that it was an option that he bet on almost every week.

What's wrong with journalists? The word he's looking for is coincidentally. There is nothing ironic about the connection…