Claim Ticketus invoices made using clip art

Senior News Reporter

Saturday 12 May 2012

RANGERS' financial controller cast doubt over invoices relating to the loan deal made with Ticketus by saying they appeared to be produced using "clip art".

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MARTIN WILLIAMS

Documents released yesterday by the Scottish Football Association (SFA) reveal the finance chief, Ken Olverman, was apparently sidelined by Rangers' majority shareholder, Craig Whyte, during his regime.

Whyte would not allow Mr Olverman to sign cheques for more than £100 and gave instruction for information on the club's finances not to be revealed to directors on the board.

Details of the financial dealings at Ibrox emerged as the SFA released reasons for sanctions imposed on the club last month for bringing the game into disrepute after the slide into administration. These include a ban on signing players. Rangers were fined £160,000 and handed a 12-month transfer embargo after being found guilty of five charges in relation to their financial affairs and appointment of Whyte as chairman. Rangers' appeal will be heard on Wednesday.The documents show that in August last year Mr Olverman was contacted by HMRC officials over club invoices "for many millions of pounds". The issue arose when Ticketus tried to claim VAT costs against VAT they charged Rangers.Whyte raised more than £30 million, including £5m in VAT, from Ticketus through the sale of rights to four years of season tickets in order to facilitate his £1 takeover of the club from Sir David Murray a year ago. Mr Olverman said it was "inconceivable" that invoices would be raised by the club in relation to the Ticketus deal without his knowledge.The dossier said: "The nature and format of the invoices was entirely different to that of invoices raised within the finance office of Rangers FC. "He was of the view that it appeared as though 'clip art' computer processes had been involved in their creation. They did not appear to him to resemble any invoices he had ever seen issued by Rangers FC. "Having sight of the invoices confirmed his view even further that they had not been created within the finance office of Rangers FC."Mr Olverman was told the invoices were subject to further investigation and took no further action by informing club directors. The SFA documents also state that Mr Olverman was not authorised to make payments to tax authorities in September and was told by Whyte that payments to HMRC were to be suspended.The panel found that after Whyte's takeover the club continued to deduct around £1.2m a month in income tax from employees' wages, but the money was not handed over to the tax man, meaning that the business was run for 10 months on unpaid taxes worth more than £13m.The panel found: "Despite the representations made by Craig Whyte, the directors of Rangers FC were provided with no details or evidence of any financial matters or proof of funding or assets relating to Craig Whyte or his companies."The dossier also said Sir David had "no option" but to sell his 85% stake in the Ibrox club because of financial pressure, including from his company Murray International Holdings, which was £700m in debt.The SFA panel said it had contemplated terminating Rangers' SFA membership because of the gravity of the rule breaches, but decided that the punishment was too severe.The panel has been named, after talks with police amid security fears, as Lord Carloway, Craig Graham and Allan Cowan.Lord Carloway recently wrote a Government-commissioned report into criminal law and practice; Mr Cowan stepped down as Partick Thistle chairman in 2010 after 13 years and Mr Graham is chairman of amateur side, The Spartans, and a partner at accountants KPMG.An SFA statement read: "In light of the subsequent leaking of the identities of the three panel members from the original tribunal, it has been agreed that we will identify the members of the appellate tribunal in advance of the hearing."It is essential panel members are allowed to conduct the appeal without fear of intimidation."

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Claim Ticketus invoices made using clip art

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