Former Wallabies star Rocky Elsom has declared his innocence after being sentenced to five years in prison by a French court for embezzlement.
Elsom, who was the president and majority owner of French club Narbonne in 2014, was convicted of forgery, misuse of corporate assets, and embezzling 700,000 euros.
An international arrest warrant has been issued for the 41-year-old Elsom, who earned 75 caps for Australia during his rugby career.
In a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald, Elsom denied the charges, saying, “I was not informed of this hearing and was not given the opportunity to defend myself.” He added, “Not allowing me to defend the charges is a clear perversion of justice.”
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Elsom has hired a lawyer in France to appeal the verdict. He also questioned the legitimacy of the court process, stating, “I ask the public to consider the legitimacy of any process that does not allow for the involvement of the person being prosecuted.”
The court’s findings included claims that Elsom made an unjustified 79,000 euros payment to a former coach and paid a monthly salary to an Australian resident who provided no services to the club.
Defending his tenure, Elsom highlighted Narbonne’s financial success during his time, noting profits and strong on-field results. “I believe I have been scapegoated for the mismanagement of the club after I left,” he said.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images
