Former AFL Umpires Face 102 Charges Over $300K Brownlow Betting Scam

Former AFL umpire Michael Pell, along with his brother Donovan Pell, William Forde, and Mitch Lucas, face a combined 102 charges related to an alleged $300,000 fraudulent betting scheme involving leaked voting information from the 2021 and 2022 Brownlow Medal counts. The group is accused of communicating and using insider information about Brownlow Medal votes to place bets through various betting agencies, with many co-accused and witnesses being family members or colleagues. The charges include dishonestly obtaining financial advantage, passing on information for fraudulent betting, and placing bets using false or stolen credentials. The accused appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court and were granted bail with conditions, including remaining at their home addresses and not leaving Australia, with a committal mention scheduled for October 22. AFL umpires and personnel are prohibited from gambling on the game, and the controversy emerged after the AFL referred suspicious betting activity to Victoria Police's Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit. Despite the allegations, AFL officials have stated there is no evidence that the Brownlow Medal outcomes were impacted, and the league has ruled out changing the voting process.