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Police allege Elias had more than $5000 in multiple bets on Cowboys penalty goal
Chris Barrett
March 8, 2011
John Elias and the bets he is alleged to have made. Photo: Simon Alekna
POLICE will allege that John Elias, the former first-grade player charged with trying to defraud a betting agency, entered TAB outlets four times wearing four different clothes two days before last August's suspicious game between the Cowboys and the Bulldogs.
Details have emerged for the first time of the specific bets police will claim were placed by Elias and player agent Sam Ayoub on the first scoring play to be a Cowboys penalty goal, the option that is at the centre of a NSW police investigation.
Ayoub, 49, who was also charged last Thursday in connection with the inquiry into suspicious betting on the round-24 match at Dairy Farmers Stadium, lodged two wagers worth a total of $900 at Cowboys Leagues Club on August 18 and 19, it will be claimed in court.
Police will allege Elias, 48, the former Newtown, Souths, Canterbury, Wests, Easts and Balmain player, placed a total of $5250 in bets during the course of less than five hours on the afternoon and early evening of August 19.
It will also be claimed in court that he entered TABs at Rozelle and Haberfield on four occasions, making minor outfit alterations such as changing his jacket between visits.
The first of his bets were placed at Rozelle at 2pm and totalled $3000, made up of six $500 wagers in five-leg multis. At 3.15pm and then 3.20pm, Elias is alleged to have placed bets of $100 each using an account over the phone.
Then at 3.21pm, it will be claimed, he walked into Haberfield TAB, putting on a $50 five-leg multi, including the Cowboys' first-pointscoring option. Police will allege Elias did not then have another bet for almost three hours before going back to Haberfield TAB to make further wagers at 6.01pm and 6.33pm.
On the first occasion there were two $500 bets placed in five-leg multis. The final two bets were valued at $500 each and were made straight out on the Cowboys to score first with a penalty goal.
Elias and Ayoub are due to have their matters heard at Downing Centre Local Court on April 7 and face a possible prison sentence if found guilty. Ayoub admits betting but denies any wrongdoing.
Bulldogs front-rower and Ayoub client Ryan Tandy pleaded not guilty last week to giving false evidence to NSW Crime Commission hearings on the betting plunge.
It is expected detectives from the Casino and Racing Investigation Unit will this week conclude questioning other punters captured in CCTV footage released to the public by police last week.
They include the Townsville bar owner Joel Solinas, a friend of Ayoub on Facebook, who was pictured putting on a bet at the city's Midtown Hotel TAB on August 20.
The Herald has been told NSW police plan to travel to Townsville to interview Solinas, who is the owner of popular Palmer Street nightspot Rhino Bar.
Another man to be interviewed is Anthony Serratore, a friend of Ayoub's son, Jai, and Parramatta halfback Brad Murray, also an Ayoub client. Serratore placed his wager at Beaconsfield TAB on August 20 while Murray, 20, has previously been shown on CCTV footage released by police betting on the option at a Flemington hotel on August 19.
It is understood police have yet to finish viewing and analysing electronic footage compiled in relation to betting on the Cowboys-Bulldogs game and, as such, have not ruled out any further charges being laid.
It is also yet to be determined whether police will prosecute the Ayoub and Elias matters or whether the Department of Public Prosecutions will elect to take over.
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