Former AFL umpire Michael Pell and three others charged in alleged $300,000 Brownlow betting fraud
Four men face 102 charges over alleged leaking of Brownlow votes in 2021–22; all granted bail with travel restrictions
A former Australian Football League umpire, his brother and two others were charged on summons on Thursday after a police investigation into alleged fraudulent betting tied to Brownlow Medal voting in 2021 and 2022, with prosecutors saying the scheme involved about A$300,000.
Magistrate Brett Sonnet described the allegations as "serious" and ordered all four men released on bail, saying the matter could not proceed to the County Court without bail conditions. The accused must reside at their home addresses and are forbidden from leaving Australia. They are due back at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Oct. 22 for committal mentions.
The defendants are former AFL field umpire Michael Pell, his brother Donovan Pell, and two other men, William Forde and Mitch Lucas. Court documents show the four face a total of 102 offences between them; one of the accused is named in 53 counts. Police initially arrested the group in late 2022 amid inquiries into suspicious betting activity connected to the Brownlow Medal awards for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Prosecutors told the court that many co-accused and witnesses in the matter are family members or co-workers. Authorities allege the fraud involved leaking voting outcomes for selected AFL matches and placing bets based on those leaks. Umpires allocate three, two and one votes to players after each match; the votes are kept secure until read by the AFL chief executive on Brownlow Medal night.
Michael Pell resigned from AFL umpiring in 2022. The AFL maintains rules prohibiting umpires and other personnel from gambling on the game. The league declined to change the voting process after the initial investigation, citing the integrity of existing arrangements.
In 2023, Victoria's gambling regulator introduced additional safeguards for the Brownlow process, including spot audits of AFL employees, increased surveillance of umpires and limits on betting payouts during Brownlow rounds. The regulator also capped payouts on Brownlow-related bets at A$250.
Port Adelaide's Ollie Wines won the 2021 Brownlow Medal and Carlton captain Patrick Cripps won in 2022, the seasons at the centre of the investigation.
The four accused will remain on bail under the conditions set by the magistrate and will next appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Oct. 22 for further proceedings.