EXCLUSIVE
A sports software company led by rugby league great Anthony Minichiello has collapsed over a $1.3 million tax debt – and the Roosters legend could have to foot the bill.
Minichiello was one of two original directors of Sports Foyer who were declared insolvent by the Federal Court and ordered into liquidation earlier this month, on the retired NRL star’s 44th birthday.
It can also be revealed that former Sports Foyer secretary John Issa is a convicted fraudster who was sentenced to three years in prison for scams totaling almost $1 million.
The 50-year-old met Minichiello through his love of the Roosters and has acted in various roles in Sports Foyer since signing up in May 2020.
Issa pleaded guilty in the New South Wales District Court in January 2018 to five criminal charges of fraud, which could prevent him from running a company.
A sports software company led by rugby league great Anthony Minichiello has collapsed over a $1.3 million tax debt – and the Roosters legend could have to foot the bill. Minichiello appears in the photo with his wife Terry Biviano
Minichiello told Daily Mail Australia that he had only considered himself an ambassador for Sports Foyer and for a time was unaware that he was actually a director.
“I didn’t have any knowledge of the day-to-day operations,” he said.
‘I have been an athlete all my life. What do I know about being a director?
“I’m very disappointed that my name has been dragged into this.”
Minichiello is a highly respected figure in rugby league whose image as a player was so impeccable that the NRL made him the face of the game in its final season.
Since retiring from football he has run MiniFit, which offers health and fitness programs for children, as well as offering his services as a corporate speaker.
Minichiello’s wife, shoe designer and fashionista Terry Biviano, has a similarly high public profile and recently starred on Real Housewives of Sydney.
Minichiello was one of two original directors of Sports Foyer who were declared insolvent by the Federal Court and ordered into liquidation earlier this month, on the retired NRL star’s 44th birthday.
Sports Foyer was pitched as an app that would provide a single platform for parents to coordinate their children’s sports commitments and needs, but the product was never launched.
“Sports Foyer links parents, children and athletes with schools, sports organizations and government bodies by integrating sport, data and technology in one place,” its website still states.
Minichiello promoted the business on social media alongside Lachlan Dooner, a young footballer who played for the Roosters in the Harold Matthews Cup last year.
“In my head I was always an ambassador for this business,” Minichiello said. “I have worked in many embassies before and this was just another ambassadorial role for me.”
Minichiello wasn’t sure exactly when he found out he was director of the Sports Foyer, but he said he was removed from that position after speaking with Issa.
“When I approached him, he said, ‘That was a mistake, that’s why we eliminated you; “You have always been an ambassador.”
Minichiello promoted the business on social media alongside Lachlan Dooner, a young footballer who played for the Roosters in the Harold Matthews Cup last year.
Despite being declared insolvent, Sports Foyer remains the naming rights sponsor of the NSW Community Sports Awards which will be presented at Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium on June 19.
It also sponsored the government-backed NSW Sports Industry Conference, held at Olympic Park on February 23, where Issa was a speaker.
Sports Foyer has been embroiled in trouble with the Australian Taxation Office, which has the power to hold individual company directors personally liable for outstanding debts.
The ATO sent Sports Foyer a written demand for $1,288,533.72 and then took the company to the Federal Court, which on May 24 ordered it to be wound up as insolvent and appointed liquidators.
Minichiello was aware that, as the former director of the Sports Foyer, he could be held personally liable for at least a portion of the tax debt.
“I’m getting advice from a lawyer about it,” he said.
Former Sports Foyer Secretary John Issa is a convicted fraudster who was sentenced to three years in prison for scams totaling nearly $1 million. Issa pictured at the NSW Sports Industry Conference on February 23
Minichiello was registered as a director of Foyer Sports five years ago, with Issa as secretary, according to Australian Securities and Investments Commission records.
He stopped being director on January 5 of last year. Issa was appointed sole director on July 31, 2023.
Issa was found guilty of three counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and sentenced in February 2020, three months before Sports Foyer was established.
Those crimes were committed against three financial institutions: $785,430 from NAB, $146,505 from St George Bank and $48,000 from College Capital.
Issa also admitted knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime of more than $210,000 transferred from sales and marketing firm Endeavor Global.
Additionally, he was found guilty of publishing false or misleading information to obtain a financial advantage for Peppers Asset Finance.
Judge Mark Williams ordered that Issa’s three-year sentence be served through intensive correction in the community, meaning he did not have to spend any time in prison.
Minichiello told Daily Mail Australia that he had only considered himself an ambassador for Sports Foyer and for a time was unaware that he was actually a director.
Minichiello was shocked to learn of Issa’s fraud crimes.
“I’ve known him for a long time because he’s a Roosters fan, but I honestly wasn’t aware that he’d ever been convicted until recently,” he said.
Issa declined to comment on any matters related to Sports Foyer, including his tax debt, his criminal convictions or whether he had the right to run a company.
Under the Companies Act, a person is disqualified from managing a company if he or she is found guilty of an offense of dishonesty punishable by a prison sentence of at least three months.
A spokeswoman for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission could not confirm whether Issa’s convictions should have disqualified him from his positions at the Sports Foyer.
“What constitutes ‘dishonesty’ is not prescribed in law and we would need to better understand the nature of the charges on which he was convicted to determine whether an automatic disqualification may apply,” he said.
“At first glance, the fraud-related charges appear to suggest dishonesty.”
Minichiello’s wife, shoe designer and fashionista Terry Biviano, has a similarly high public profile and recently starred on Real Housewives of Sydney. The power couple appears in the photo.
‘The disqualification is for the management of companies, not appearing as a director or secretary.
“We would need evidence that Mr Issa was actively involved in running businesses for him to breach the ban on running businesses while disqualified.”
The spokeswoman said ASIC was generally not informed when a company director was convicted of an offense of dishonesty, unless action was initiated by the commission.
He said Issa’s circumstances would be passed on to ASIC’s misconduct and breach reporting team.
Minichiello is perhaps the Roosters’ favorite son and upon his retirement, chairman Nick Politis hailed him as one of the game’s true statesmen.
He held the club’s try record until July last year, when winger Daniel Tupou scored his 140th triple for the red, white and blue.
The winger-turned-fullback, who debuted for the Roosters in 2000, played 302 first-class games and hung up his boots at the end of 2014, second only to Mitchell Aubusson on 306.
Minichiello was part of the Roosters’ premiership team in 2002, captained the team to their 2013 grand final victory and was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame last year.
At representative level, Minichiello ran 11 times for NSW in State of Origin, played 19 times for Australia and appeared in seven matches for Italy.