Dazzza
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« on: Wednesday, November 7, 2007, 20:52:30 » |
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Latest here... http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=124378&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231734&home=yes&more_nodeId1=124522&contentPK=18898510Origional piece from 2006 with further details... John Sleightholme resigned as Derby County chairman yesterday following the revelation in Wednesday's Guardian that the police are inquiring into allegations of financial malpractice at the club.
Sleightholme is not the subject of those inquiries; quite the opposite. He said he had resigned partly because Derby's board refused his request to launch an independent investigation.
A barrister and the deputy coroner of North Yorkshire, Sleightholme, together with Jeremy Keith and Steve Harding, became a director of Derby in October 2003 after the club was put into receivership and then sold for £3 within minutes to a company called Sharmine Limited.
Sharmine subsequently disclosed that its shares were held in the offshore tax havens of Belize and the British Virgin Islands - Sleightholme and Keith later declared they owned them. Sharmine's £3 takeover was backed by a £15m loan from a Panamanian-registered company, ABC Corporation, which went partly to reducing £30m owed to the Co-operative Bank.
As the Guardian revealed, at the time of the takeover £375,000 was paid as a commission to a company, Streamline Management, for introducing ABC Corporation to the club. Now Murdo Mackay, the club's former director of football, is alleging that the money was shared, £125,000 each, by himself, Keith and Andrew Mackenzie, who was the club's finance director before and after the takeover. Keith and Mackenzie firmly deny receiving any of the £375,000.
Derbyshire police confirmed "an allegation has been made about financial irregularities" at Derby County and said the force "is making initial inquiries to ascertain whether there is any legitimacy to this allegation and whether any offence has taken place".
In the statement announcing his resignation Sleightholme said: "At my last board meeting I asked for an independent investigation into the allegations of payments directly or indirectly to board members. This request was refused."
Derby have debts of around £45m and are the subject of an increasingly bitter takeover battle. Keith introduced a London-based venture capital fund, Sisu, which is tabling a bid, opposed by a consortium of five local businessmen led by the club's former vice-chairman Peter Gadsby. |
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redbullzeye
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« Reply #1 on: Wednesday, November 7, 2007, 20:58:08 » |
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Relegate the buggers 2 divisions I say
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DMR
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« Reply #2 on: Wednesday, November 7, 2007, 21:00:00 » |
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They're making a good fist of getting the first one out the way themselves, RBE.
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redbullzeye
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« Reply #3 on: Wednesday, November 7, 2007, 21:12:59 » |
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They're making a good fist of getting the first one out the way themselves, RBE.  hadn't thought of that - make it three divisions then |
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reeves4england
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We'll never die!
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« Reply #4 on: Wednesday, November 7, 2007, 22:01:14 » |
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They're making a good fist of getting the first one out the way themselves, RBE. hadn't thought of that - make it three divisions then Three divisions...and a turnip! |
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redbullzeye
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« Reply #5 on: Wednesday, November 7, 2007, 22:50:50 » |
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I reckon Rory Bremner could do an excellent Billy Davies. All that pursing of lips and "we know where we are and are taking time adjusting to the new league" bollix. That said they'll get a £5000 fine and a slap on the wrist. It's only Swindon that get made huge scapegoats (there should be a chip on the shoulder emoticon)
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Spencer_White
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« Reply #6 on: Thursday, November 8, 2007, 16:50:45 » |
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Cant see why the club would be punnished in this case.
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Power to people
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« Reply #7 on: Tuesday, November 13, 2007, 13:20:13 » |
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Another one charged now..
The former chief executive of Derby County, Jeremy Keith, has been charged following an inquiry into alleged financial irregularities.
The 43-year-old is accused of conspiracy to defraud and conceal criminal property.
The charges relate to an on-going police investigation into the takeover of the club in October 2003.
The club's former finance director Andrew Mackenzie, 53, was charged with similar offences last week.
The allegations are not connected to the current board, Derbyshire Police said.
Both men are scheduled to reappear in Derby Magistrates Court on 27 November.
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Power to people
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« Reply #8 on: Thursday, November 15, 2007, 13:41:19 » |
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And now the former DOF is charged.....
Ex director of football charged
Derby County's former director of football has been charged as part of an investigation into alleged financial irregularities at the club.
Murdo Mackay is accused of conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to conceal criminal property.
His solicitor yesterday said that he denied any wrongdoing.
He is one of five people who have been arrested as part of inquiries, which began last year, into the takeover of the club in October 2003.
Mr Mackay is the third person to be charged in the last eight days.
The club's former chief executive, Jeremy Keith, and former finance director Andrew Mackenzie are facing the same charges as Mr Mackay.
Speaking on behalf of Mr Mackay yesterday, his solicitor, Stephen Burdon,
said: “My client has assisted the police throughout this lengthy inquiry and refutes any allegation of inappropriate conduct in relation to Derby County Football Club.
“The evidence will show that all transactions involving Murdo Mackay were legitimate and that he always acted in the best interests of the club.”
Police yesterday confirmed that a 52-year-old man had been charged.
A spokesman for Derbyshire police said: “Following a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service specialist fraud unit, police can confirm that a 52-year-old man has been charged in connection with an investigation into alleged financial irregularities within Derby County Football Club. He was charged with conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to conceal criminal property.
A police investigation, begun last year, centred on the takeover at Pride Park by Mr Keith, John Sleightholme and Steve Harding
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Summerof69
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« Reply #9 on: Wednesday, November 21, 2007, 12:03:36 » |
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And now an 'advisor':
From the Derby Evening Telegraph
Fifth man is charged
by Paul Bull
Police have charged a fifth man as part of an investigation into alleged
financial irregularities at Derby County.
David Lowe, who it is understood was a legal adviser to the consortium that
took over the club in October 2003, has been charged with conspiracy to
conceal criminal property and money laundering.
The decision was taken by the Crown Prosecution Service specialist Fraud
Unit following a lengthy investigation by Derbyshire police into financial
irregularities during the takeover.
He joins the club's former finance director Andrew Mackenzie, ex-chief
executive Jeremy Keith and ex-director of football Murdo Mackay, who face charges
of conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to conceal criminal property.
Mark Waters, who it is understood is a businessman from the south east, is
accused of false accounting and conspiracy to conceal criminal property.
All five men are due to appear at South Derbyshire Magistrates' Court in
Derby on Tuesday (November 27).
The police investigation, which started last year, centred on the takeover
at Pride Park in October 2003 by former board members Mr Keith, John
Sleightholme and Steve Harding.
The club was bought from administrative receivers for just £3, backed by a
£15m loan from a Panamanian-registered company, ABC Corporation.
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