Chris Brown : AFL champions Chris Judd, Simon Black distance themselves from Perth betting scheme promoter

AFL champions Chris Judd and Simon Black — who were photographed with a Perth betting scheme promoter now embroiled in a $120 million court case — say they don’t remember meeting the gambling whiz kid and have nothing to do with him. Both Judd and Black were contacted by The West Australian today, after a photo of Chris Brown rubbing shoulders with the legendary pair was uncovered on the 27-year-old’s Instagram page. The post has since been removed by the besieged investment young gun, as well as a photo of a $200 bottle of Taylors The Visionary Cabernet Sauvignon 2013. But they are just two examples of the catalogue of photographs the Aquinas College graduate has previously posted to promote his lavish lifestyle. Others showed the Aquinas College graduate splashing cash and rubbing shoulders with millionaire businessmen; spending decadent days at Ascot Racecourse and celebrating big wins on the punt with friends; and playing golf at the exclusive Royal Perth Golf Club. And while both footy players were smiling when the photo was taken, they have both today admitted having no recollection of the fleeting moment, nor any idea who the scrawny guy sandwiched between them in a grey suit is. “I don’t know who he is. I’ve had a million photos over the years,” two-time Brownlow medallist Judd said. Perhaps the greatest player to ever pull on the West Coast jumper, Judd said his memory of that photo was so poor he “couldn’t even place what year or where the picture was taken”. “I don’t know him and I can’t remember it,” he said. Three-time premiership champion Black took a wild guess as to where the photo was snapped, saying “it looks as if it was on grand final day in Victoria from what I can tell — just by the jacket I’m wearing”. “I don’t remember taking the photo and I definitely don’t remember meeting him,” he said. The Brownlow and Norm Smith medallist said he’d “never spoken to this guy before” and “never seen him since”. “Chris Judd isn’t a friend of mine so it makes me think it was grand final day — a function we were all at,” Black said. “It looks to me like he was a fan at the function, asking for a photo... I don’t remember it.” The West does not suggest Black or Judd are in any way caught up in the elaborate betting hedge fund tactics that have creditors chasing Brown for $200 million — reported winnings which he allegedly owes to friends, business associates and other backers. The 27-year-old is facing both a bankruptcy action and a Federal Court action that has put receivers in charge of key bank, stockbroking and betting accounts linked to Brown. Brown has claimed to have made big profits from a hedging model where he capitalises on the odds of horses shortening as they get closer to races. However, backers have told The West Australian they have struggled to be paid Mr Brown’s reported winnings as he claimed proceeds were being held up by banks, agencies and authorities. Brown was also part of a big syndicate that owned two race horses including How To Fly — who won four of 20 starts and $234,600 in prize money — and Nordic King — who won three races before being sold to other owners. According to a yearbook from Brown’s days at Aquinas — WA’s most expensive Catholic school — the then-high school student competed in cricket and soccer. He was awarded Best First Year Player in the 2009 soccer premiership team, and Peer Support Leader. Brown, who has been described by former friends as “fast-witted” and “quick on the tongue”, also completed the Curtin Business School Experience in his final year at school.