NRL: Homes of agents raided by fraud squad

Wayne Beavis (right) speaks with a detective at his home as the raid unfolds. Picture: Daily Telegraph

Two the Sydney-based agents whose homes and offices have been raided by New South Wales police over ongoing investigations into salary cap breaches manage a host of Warriors players.

George Mimis and Paul Sutton are the two most prominent agents for SFX Sports who manage 10 of the 35-strong Warriors playing squad including Kiwis Bodene Thompson, Tui Lolohea and David Fusitua. They also look after the Warriors' Queensland State of Origin forward Jacob Lillyman and rising young stars Sam Lisone and Ken Maumalo.

Mimis and Sutton's SFX offices in Pitt Street in central Sydney were raided this morning along with the homes of two other prominent player agents Wayne Beavis and Sam Ayoub as part of ongoing investigations into salary cap breaches at the Parramatta Eels football club.

Beyond their 10 Warriors, SFX has 83 leading players on its books including some of the game's biggest names such as aspiring Warrior Kieran Foran, Australian and Melbourne Storm halfback Cooper Cronk, fellow Storm star Billy Slater and Broncos enforcer Sam Thaiday. Kiwis Martin Taupau, Dean Whare, Pita Hiku, Sam McKendry, Jason Nightingale and Russell Packer are also managed by SFX.

Beavis is one of rugby league's longest serving and most prominent player agents.

Ayoub manages Australian-based Kiwis Jordan Rapana, Sam Moa and Sam Tagataese who are with Canberra, the Sydney Roosters and Cronulla respectively.

Australian media are reporting the police investigations are related to the Parramatta salary cap dramas and there is no suggestion other players who are with the agents in question but don't play for the Eels are being investigated or have done anything wrong.

Officers from the NSW Fraud and Cybercrime Squad carried out search warrants at homes in the Sydney suburbs of Leichhardt, Woollahra, and a business premises in the CBD, police officials said.

No arrests are expected, but officials confirmed the searches were being conducted in relation to Strike Force Rhodium, the unit tasked with investigating salary cap breaches at the Eels club.

The raids are the latest incremental shift in a probe that was prompted by an award-winning series of articles about alleged salary breaches first published by The Sydney Daily Telegraph.

Detectives were seen entering the Woollahra home of Beavis, a manager to former Eels player Jarryd Hayne, about 9.30am. Concurrent raids were taking place on the home of Ayoub, officials said.

Comment is being sought from both men.

An official said the operation had been planned and was largely being carried out to seize documentation.