Parramatta agreed to pay $ 500,000 to pay a long -standing case of the Supreme Court linked to the salary ceiling scandal which rocked the club in 2016.
The case stems from payments made to the old stars of Eels Jarryd Hayne and Anthony Watmough, which were channeled by a company called Scorecube, a subsidiary of Blackcitrus.
Liquidators acting for Blackcitrus launched legal action to request $ 1.17 million for the company’s creditors, the case simmered before the Supreme Court for four years.
This was to be heard last month, but the regulations prevail without any public examination.
If the case had gone to a complete hearing, the courtroom would have disseminated the details of the payments made under provisions which would have violated the LNR salary ceiling.
In court documents, Parramatta said that the CEO of the Scott Seward had signed an agreement with Blackcitrus without the approval of the council.
Jarryd Hayne in Fronts Media after his release from prison last year when charges of sexual assault were abandoned
Hayne was still linked to the eels due to a long -standing legal case on the 2016 salary ceiling scandal
The club’s defense said: “ … The applicant was aware that the HOA was an imposture at any time and that the real objective of the arrangement was to provide payments to the Anthony Watmough player to avoid the LNR wage ceiling rules; And… that the HOA was empty and without legal effect at any time because of its illegal nature and / or against public order.
The EELs also argued that Blackcitrus did not provide the services described in the agreement and the invoices issued which did not reflect the value.
Sources close to the case confirmed that the club had accepted the payment of $ 500,000 to avoid an extended legal battle.
The decision marks the end of a dark chapter in the history of Parramatta and comes as the club struggles through a turbulent season 2025.
The 2016 scandal resulted in heavy sanctions, including a fine of $ 1 million, a 12 -point deduction and the loss of the title of Auckland Nines.
Several players have been unloaded and the entire board of directors was withdrawn in the midst of governance changes.
The current administration, wishing to avoid the embarrassment of the public, chose the settlement concerning disputes.
This decision also protects the club from new distractions while the new coach Jason Ryles hunts his first victory.
The eels have chosen to pay liquidators instead of engaging in more disputes over Hayne payments which arise from the salary ceiling scandal
Parramatta is sitting at the bottom of the ladder after starting season 0-4, with the key player Mitchell Moses sidelined and Dylan Brown confirming a move to Newcastle.
The legal saga around Hayne and Watmough flew over the club as a storm cloud for almost a decade.
Hayne, once the angles’ faces, faced her own series of legal battles unrelated to the issue of the salary ceiling.
In 2018, Hayne was accused of aggravated sexual assault following an incident in Newcastle.
A long legal process followed, resulting in several trials, convictions, calls and, finally, its release in 2024.
On June 25, 2024, the prosecutors abandoned the accusations, ending the legal drama.