These new orders came into play after I left the CPS but my legal gut feeling tells me that it shouldn't impact on the club.

They want to know where his wealth has come from. Well, one answer is "I screwed a local rugby club by making them give me 3 million for an asset I'd picked up for 600k". That explains 2.4million!

But freezing his assets would not involve the club. He has no assets tied up with the club. They don't go back and undo all the deals. They just freeze his current assets, which thankfully no longer include Belle Vue. Going back to the banker's wife, do you think someone had the job of taking the jewellery back to Harrods and getting a refund? Of course not. What they can do is freeze assets and say "if you want them unfreezing, explain where they came from".

If he still owned Belle Vue, that would be a different issue, particularly if the club was involved in purchasing it, as they would then be trying to purchase a frozen asset.

My legal gut feeling is that there is nothing to see here, but maybe we dodged a bullet by a year or so.

Agreed, whatever he has done, or not as the case may be, it has no bearing on the club at all imo, how could it. As you say the law is all about freezing his coin, then relieve him of it if he can't explain where he got either his initial money to set him up, or if he's been continually been getting gains from sources he can't legally explain, not retrospectively reversing or interfering in past financial dealings.

I'm a bit surprised some people may make that leap especially if they read up on what the law is and what it's about. Like you say though if this had happened a year/18 months ago it would be a different kettle of fish and would have been a huge headache for the Club and fans to say the least.

It's only of interest to us because he owned the ground for a short time, then we bought it back, plus if your into a bit of true crime, the fact he's one of the few people that the NCA have gone after using 'McMafia law' and the first with links to organised crime.

There was an article in the DM last July which I believe is now Hussein. Back when it was originally reported, it just referred to a northern man and a 10 million pound property empire and they were looking into him due to his suspected links to criminal activity, which now he's been named seems obviously him, so they've been looking into him for quite some time.
[urlhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7260691/Businessman-ordered-reveal-funds-10million-empire-use-McMafia-laws.html[/url

Thanks Slugger.

Like a lot of people on here I’m very good at sounding like I know what I’m talking about then I realise I don’t! Always good to get expert knowledge or pretty close.

I've just read the Criminal Finances Act 2017 and what stands out is the present tense. It talks about property he "holds", not "holds or has held". That is the significant part for me. If it was meant to dig into the past, it would include the past tense.

I presume this is because to go into past assets could prejudice those who presently hold the assets disposed of in the past (Wakefield Trinity), but also because any sums received would be held or used to buy something else, so they go after the "something else".

What the Act does is beef up the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. If there is a legitimate source of his money, his accountant will explain it.

Before an order can be made, however, the High Court has to be satisfied:
1. He holds the asset and it is worth over £50,000
2. There are reasonable grounds to suspect that the known sources of his lawfully-obtained income would not cover those assets
3. Crucially, there are reasonable grounds to suspect that either he, or someone connected to him, has been involved in serious crime in the UK or elsewhere

I wonder if Manni Hussain`s contacts at WMDC will be feeling a little embarrassed presumably investigations will be made re due diligence etc, maybe Peter Box will have the answers . There seems to be a bit of a theme to this sort of thing I read that the Penny Appeal director is been investigated by the charities commission, I presume that this is the same Penny Appeal that purchased the Thornes Park College site from WMDC. It makes you wonder who are the people who are making the introductions , recommendations etc to the council.

It’s a good job he didn’t invest in the club then like a couple of posters suggested.

With these revelations about Manni Hussain and penny appeal, and the recent departure from a very lucrative position as council leader, I wonder if the former Council leader is now trying to keep a low profile from some of his previous Council dealings.

Someone once said that behind every successful business, there's a crime; it seems to be true.

I will hold my hand up Wilzay, I think I was one of those you mentioned.

I merely mentioned it back in 2016, when I think MC said around then, that he was always looking at the potential of further investors coming on board, or something like that.

At the time, looking at the 88m Group website, they seemed to have a massive portfolio, covering several industries, and the only thing he didn't have was a pro sports club.

With this, and with the newslink about making so much money before the age of 30, seemed quite a legit possibility.

How wrong I was

It was That great sage BLM about 2 pages ago, Bren.

Hang em all

you'd be out of a job