STV: Charles Green agreed to receive a £25,000 payment from Craig Whyte.

[No.12 508]

Rangers chief executive Charles Green agreed to receive a £25,000 payment from Craig Whyte’s business partner during the early stages of his buyout of the club.

The transaction was made from Aidan Earley to Mr Green’s personal bank account, as the Sevco consortium moved into poll position in the bidding process.

STV has seen evidence that appears to suggest the £25,000 was sent to Mr Green’s account on May 11, 2012.

In an interview with STV News, Mr Green stated the cheque, which was to be used to pay legal fees for Field Fisher Waterhouse, bounced and he ended up paying the lawyers himself.

The exchange makes up part of the legal case Mr Whyte is launching against Mr Green and his group, claiming that they were acting as a "front" for him during the £5.5m deal for the club’s assets last summer.

STV has also obtained a recorded conversation between Mr Green and Mr Whyte, which is said to have taken place on May 9 last year, in which the former Sheffield United chief executive said: "I f*****g, I need money off you (Craig Whyte)" to cover the Field Fisher Waterhouse bill.

On Tuesday, STV contacted Rangers for comment in relation to the recorded conversation, but at the time of publication they had not responded.

The payment is believed to relate to the setting up of the off-the-shelf company, Sevco 5088 Limited, which was the vehicle that Mr Whyte claims he and Mr Green were using to takeover Rangers. Sevco 5088 was identified by administrators Duff and Phelps days later as being the newco that would purchase the club’s assets in the event of the failure of a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).

Mr Green told STV: "My Whyte didn't pay money into my bank account. £25,000 was put into my bank account. For legal costs. And three days later, the cheque bounced."

Mr Green stated that the cheque was from New Malden, the area of Surrey where Mr Earley is based. Mr Green stated it was "to cover the legal expenses that Aiden Earley and Mr Whyte had incurred in starting up the process with Field Fisher Waterhouse, who refused to do any further work without money up front."

Documentation seen by STV suggest that £25,000 was paid out of a business account associated with Mr Earley on May 15, six days after his meeting with Mr Green and Mr Whyte.

In the audio recording of the meeting, Mr Green is heard saying to Mr Whyte: "Well, the next step is, we've got to f*****g give them (Field Fisher Waterhouse) some money."

He is also heard saying that he will tell the legal firm "Oh, Craig's gone, Craig's gone" in relation to the £25,000 payment.

Mr Green adds: "I f*****g, I need money off you [Craig Whyte]." Mr Whyte is heard responding: "Yeah, if you, if you give me your details I'll cover whatever you’ve got to pay out. It's not a problem."

The recording shows that Mr Green responded: "What I'm saying is, there's no f*****g, there'll be no trace into my f*****g bank account. But I'll f*****g, but I'll do it now, I'll write it out now. I'll give them a cheque for £25,000 from me." He adds: "I'm the f*****g director of the company. I'm their client, I'll give them twenty-five grand."

Mr Whyte has instructed a London QC to prepare a writ to be served on the current Rangers regime, claiming they have carried out "unjust enrichment" through "deception". In a letter warning of legal action sent to Rangers, Mr Green and finance director Imran Ahmad last December, Mr Whyte alleges that the group were brought into the Rangers buyout process to act as a "front" for him.

He claims to have evidence that backs up his statements, while last week Mr Green stated in an interview with the Scottish Sun on Sunday that he and Mr Ahmad had told Mr Whyte "what he wanted to hear" because they wanted to "keep him sweet to prise the club away from him".

Mr Green told STV that he has spoken to Rangers’ lawyers and is planning on submitting a report to Police Scotland in relation to the conduct of Mr Whyte, who purchased Sir David Murray’s 85% stake for £1 in May 2011.

[simplythebest 11,453]

Just more pre-CVA stuff then?

[Chef 436]

So whyte has started legal proceedings?

[KingKirk 25,633]

Charles Green had to Lie to get his hands on Rangers, People need to start accepting that fact. Otherwise Craig whyte would've killed us.

[No.12 508]

The cheque bounced

[mitre_mouldmaster 21,509]

Ah fuck!

This might actually be bad.

If Whyte or his partner did pay money to set up SevCo 5088, regardless of if this was the per cva plan or not, he might have a claim.

[Colonel Walter E. Kurtz 19]

We know there had to be some dealings with Whyte for CG to take over, Green has admitted as much

Looks like STV may have turned against Rangers now too, I find that quite sad

Desperate broadcasting and as Chef stated, has Whyte actually started proceedings?

[Creampuff 22,628]

The cheque bounced .

[mitre_mouldmaster 21,509]

The cheque bounced

Not according to what STV have seen. This could get messy.

[Chef 436]

Sevco5008 are not sevcoScotland therefore nowt to do with rangers acquisition is that right?

[lutonblue 1,974]

Ah fuck!

This might actually be bad.

If Whyte or his partner did pay money to set up SevCo 5088, regardless of if this was the per cva plan or not, he might have a claim.

as AC just said the cheque bounced , so no payment recieved

[mitre_mouldmaster 21,509]

We know there had to be some dealings with Whyte for CG to take over, Green has admitted as much

Looks like STV may have turned against Rangers now too, I find that quite sad

Desperate broadcasting and as Chef stated, has Whyte actually started proceedings?

There was no need to request payment to help set up the company that the club passed through. That would be ridiculously careless if it turns out to be the case.

[RFC55 108,882]

We know there had to be some dealings with Whyte for CG to take over, Green has admitted as much

Looks like STV may have turned against Rangers now too, I find that quite sad

Desperate broadcasting and as Chef stated, has Whyte actually started proceedings?

Once again

A spokesman for Rangers confirmed that there had been a transfer of assets between one newco and a second separate newco. He told STV: "For the avoidance of doubt, Sevco 5088 Limited bought the assets of the Rangers Football Club and then transferred them to Sevco Scotland Limited so that all the assets would be in the Scottish registered company that is Rangers FC."

That is from the time of the purchase of assets from the administration period.

He then said yesterday sevco 5088 never owned nor purchased anything, so who is lying and why? Who is the person from rangers who released the original statement and why doesn't green remember a statement of that importance?

[simplythebest 11,453]

Ah fuck!

This might actually be bad.

If Whyte or his partner did pay money to set up SevCo 5088, regardless of if this was the per cva plan or not, he might have a claim.

Why has he waited so long then?

[The Dude 20,026]

Sevco5008 are not sevcoScotland therefore nowt to do with rangers acquisition is that right?

sevco 5088 bought the assets originally (as confirmed by the club in July) these were then transferred to Sevco Scotland which was then renamed 'The Rangers Football Club ltd'.

[mitre_mouldmaster 21,509]

Sevco5008 are not sevcoScotland therefore nowt to do with rangers acquisition is that right?

No, Rangers went to SevCo 5088 for a short term, and then transferred to Sevco Scotland. So it is linked.

[Big Al 55 9,248]

Don't know what make if this to be honest, CG said cheque bounced, STV say they have evidence money was paid directly to CG personal account.

Didn't CG say that he received money after the cheque bounced and it remains there?

[RFC55 108,882]

sevco 5088 bought the assets originally (as confirmed by the club in July) these were then transferred to Sevco Scotland which was then renamed 'The Rangers Football Club ltd'.

Well green denied that last night. So someone's telling porkies

[KingKirk 25,633]

Ah fuck!

This might actually be bad.

If Whyte or his partner did pay money to set up SevCo 5088, regardless of if this was the per cva plan or not, he might have a claim.

Whyte would only have a claim if the CVA was accepted, The fact that a new holding company was set up means he no longer has a claim for anything.

[Moody Blue 9,349]

Sevco5008 are not sevcoScotland therefore nowt to do with rangers acquisition is that right?

Thats the way I read it/heard it. Sevco 5088 were initially going to be used as the vehicle company to purchase the assets from D&P but they changed their minds and set up a Scottish registered co. (Sevco Scotland) to purchase them instead. However, they did confirm in the media in June12 that Sevco 5088 bought them then transferred to Sevco Scotland. CG now denies this today that 5088 never purchased them at all.

[mitre_mouldmaster 21,509]

as AC just said the cheque bounced , so no payment recieved

STV are claiming they have seen evidence of the payment leaving an account, therefor if true, it did not bounce.

[Big Al 55 9,248]

Why has he waited so long then?

Would you have bought a ST had he do e it at start of season?

[elephants stoned 2,994]

He didnt pay money if the cheque bounced, otherwise i could write a cheque to British Gas for a grand that i dont have to cover my electricity bill for the next 3 years and they wont bother me again coz ive 'paid' right?

[No.12 508]

STV should not know if the money went into the account...

[JamieG54 812]

Dunno what to believe now.

Still should support Green rather than the media.

This was before he bought Rangers. He has investors like Mike Ashley so he wont be doing anything stupid.