In a shocking turn of events, the highly anticipated cricket tournament that promised fans a spectacle of limited-overs cricket with international stars turned out to be a fraudulent venture bankrolled by stolen money. The two-weekend event featured renowned cricketers like Chris Gayle and Tillakaratne Dilshan, but the tournament was cut short due to allegations of financial deceit.
Navishta Desilva, the tournament organizer, appeared before the County Court and pleaded guilty to obtaining a financial advantage by deception. The court heard how Desilva, 36, manipulated invoices at his workplace over a span of more than a year, redirecting approximately $241,000 into his personal bank account between March 2021 and July 2022.
Desilva utilized a significant portion of the stolen funds to pay international cricket stars. Notably, he transferred $37,250 to a cricket company owned by Tillakaratne Dilshan and $5,800 to Sri Lankan batsman Lahiru Thirimanne. While several other players received payments totaling $28,950, they were not named, and there is no implication of their involvement in the fraudulent activity.
However, the elaborate theft was exposed when an audit at Desilva's workplace revealed the discrepancies. Law enforcement officials were able to trace the email addresses and bank accounts connected to the fraudulent transactions back to Desilva.
Before identifying himself as a talent agent and tournament organizer, Desilva had held a range of occupations, including working in a fish and chips shop, employment at Harvey Norman, door-to-door sales, a petrol station attendant, DJ services at Crown Casino, and working as an auditor for Deloitte.
Desilva's legal representative, Sam Norton, stated that Desilva's early dreams of a professional cricket career had faded, leading him to overpromise while organizing the T20 tournament. Fearing the event's failure, he resorted to stealing the money to ensure its occurrence.
Norton emphasized that Desilva expressed "genuine remorse" and borrowed funds from loved ones to repay the stolen amount. He has since undertaken two jobs to cover his debts.
While the prosecution called for Desilva to be incarcerated, Norton appealed to Judge David Brookes for a community corrections order, arguing that his client was remorseful and striving to make amends.
Judge Brookes acknowledged Desilva's previous conviction for theft and described his conduct in the latest fraud as "devious and calculating." Typically, such offenses entail a jail sentence, he noted.
Desilva was granted bail and will face sentencing later this month. He exited the court without making any comments.
Desilva's failed tournament received extensive promotion from the Endeavour Hills Cricket Club, where he previously played as a wicket keeper. However, a club official confirmed that he is no longer a member of the organization.
