An unexpected payment of $90,000 into the bank account of Magpie captain Scott Pendlebury whilst on holiday on the Greek island of Kos last year has surfaced early this week in a civil trial involving former business partners of an AFL Sports Management company.
Jason Sourasis, owner of Strategic Management Australia AFL (SMAFL) is suing a former business partner, the high-profile player manager, Liam Pickering, and another player agent, James Pitcher.

Pickering and Pitcher officially joined Sourasis SMAFL company in September 2012 but left in May 2014 to form their own rival company Precision Sports and Entertainment Group (PSEG). Those who followed Pickering included such high-profile names as Lance Franklin, Gary Ablett, Jack Reiwoldt, Dane Swan and Swans coach John Longmire.

Sourasis is suing Pickering and Pitcher for damages over alleged lost commissions and endorsement payments.
He told the Supreme Court that while he and Pendlebury were on a holiday in Kos in October 2014, $90,000 was mysteriously deposited into Pendlebury’s account by Pickering’s new company PSEG.

The $90,000 was believed to be for 2013-14 marketing and endorsement deals owed to Pendlebury.
In a statement to the court, Souasis said Pendlebury remains an SMAFL player to this day and never contemplated leaving.
“Pendlebury has never signed any paperwork nor given any authority to PSEG or any member of PSEG to act on his behalf. For these reasons we [Sourasis and Pendlebury] were both shocked that Precision – a company that Scott Pendlebury has never had any association with – could invoice on his behalf and take receipt of funds that were owed to him.

“This incident with Pendlebury was the first real confirmation that showed without any doubt that Pickering and Pitcher had been deliberately withholding invoicing for endorsement deals of players managed by SMAFL for at least 12 months before they resigned from SMAFL”
Pickering is countersuing Sourasis for allegedly engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct and misappropriated funds.
The civil trial continues before Justice Michael Sifris.

Source: The Age