Aussie soccer star Kewell makes personal payments to sponsor's former boss

CANBERRA - Former Liverpool striker Harry Kewell made personal payments into the bank account of the former Australian boss of Fiat Chrysler after signing a 900,000 US dollars a year deal to be a brand ambassador, according to Australia media on Thursday.

File picture of Australia's Harry Kewell (front) as he fights for the ball with Uzbekistan's Anzur Ismailov during their 2011 Asian Cup semi-final soccer match at Khalifa stadium in Doha in this January 25, 2011 file photo.  [Photo/Agencies]

Documents submitted to the Federal Court of Australia claim the Australian soccer star deposited more than 12,500 dollars into the personal bank account of Clyde Campbell in four separate payments between July 2013 and September 2014.

In May, the Australian arm of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) began legal proceedings against Campbell, its boss until April 2013, for alleged misappropriation of more than 25 million U.S. dollars of corporate funds on deals it claims were "uncommercial," including providing loan cars to models, sport stars and TV personalities.

According to court documents, FCA "is not aware of any business reason why Kewell would deposit funds into Campbell's personal bank account."

The documents allege Kewell and his wife, British actress Sheree Murphy, have maintained a close personal relationship with Campbell and his wife, Simone.

According to the amended statement of claim, "posts, photographs and comments on Instagram and Twitter by Mrs Campbell, Kewell and others show that Kewell and others attended Amilla Fushi Resort in the Maldives at the same time in April 2015."