SALFORD’S owners are today facing questions over trying to buy their stadium using a FAKE bank statement.
Isiosaia Kailahi and Curtiz Brown have dragged the club through the mire — and High Court — since taking charge in February.
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Now SunSport can reveal how they tried to convince the city’s council they had the money to purchase the Salford Community Stadium — valued at £14million — by using contested documents.
The bank that received the statement as proof of funds has claimed the documents are not genuine.
Concerns were raised after the discovery that the transactions on it are dated months in the future.
Kailahi and Brown’s deal was originally meant to be one for the club and the ground combined — with a plan to develop the land around it later on.
Yet the financial state of the club — which would have gone under in February had this not happened — meant the club purchase had to be brought forward.
An email from Kailahi to Salford City Council dated January 21, on which the statement was attached, raised questions as he criticised the authority for ‘going ghost’.
Kailahi wrote: “We understand there is scepticism by members about us and how this deal is being handled, which may not meet with council’s standards.
“I would remind those in doubt, we started discussions about the potential acquisition of AJ Bell Stadium in early 2023 with the council going ghost on us without any correspondence after a few weeks.
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“I ask members to note the time I have spent in Manchester — which is months on end — working on this acquisition and the Red Devils deal, away from my family, this should at least give me some benefit towards our intentions.”
But a statement from Emirates NBD bank, in the name of Brown’s Built UAE company, raises more questions than answers.
Claims of a closing balance worth almost £22.3m could convince many they are the real deal.
Yet transactions dated December 2-11 2025 raised red flags — and, when SunSport contacted Emirates NBD, it confirmed our suspicions.
They said: “The Bank is prohibited by federal UAE law from disclosing any information about customers.
“But, the Bank can confirm none of the documents enclosed with your email, which purport to originate from the Bank, are genuine.”
When SunSport approached the businessmen for comment, Brown insisted: “Every document we have supplied has been true and accurate when provided, including any financial statement.
“If a statement you have been shown is false, we know nothing about this and have not been nor cannot be responsible for any document provided outside of our oversight.”
Salford City Council walked away from talks over the stadium in May — three months after they requested names, addresses and bank details of all consortium members.
Seven months on, they are still waiting.
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Brown told SunSport: “We have yet to reach this point in the negotiations.
“As soon as we reach the point involving the transaction that requires the supply of this information, it will be duly and fully provided in the usual way.”
When the takeover that ‘saved’ the club first went through, a statement quoting Swiss financier Dario Berta was issued on February 7.
It said: “The new owners have cleared all club debt and will deliver significant investment for the club’s future growth. This is the start of a very bright future.”
Yet debts have grown, including the £626,000 that forced HMRC to bring the winding-up petition that is now adjourned until October 29.
A £5m bridging loan, first mentioned in June — believed to be coming from Ben Doweck and Eli Cohen — secured the second delay but it is understood there will be no more.
Some 18 players, the kitman and even the man under the mascot’s costume have all walked away.
So did the man meant to coach Salford next season, assistant Kurt Haggerty.
Wage issues, when they have come, have been largely sourced from firm WeDo Finance, and concerns over pension payments forced their hand.
Chris Irwin, employed by them as chief exec, was sacked — after it was first claimed he resigned.
This casts even more doubt on the duo, working under the Sydney-based Jacobsen Venture Group title.
Fans protested at their home match with Catalans last Thursday.
It followed marches to the stadium after they forfeited a Super League fixture against Wakefield, and to their game at Warrington, which many feared would be their last.
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And the mess raises questions of the Rugby Football League, chiefly: how did they even get the club?
SunSport was handed a certified bank statement of an account at Australia’s Commonwealth Bank, checked and signed by an independent accountant.
Because of the need to save Salford, that was considered enough to get the club.
Yet their wider aims stalled after the production of the Emirates NBD statement.
And it is believed Salford City Council did not get as far as checking its validity as it had not received the information regarding the consortium it had asked for.
Kailahi, also known as Sire, and Brown faced controversy before.
In April, SunSport reported on a California court case in which Kailahi was involved after ticket firm Eventbrite claimed it paid him £500,000 for a contract his Stadium Salford Group had not entered into properly.
In response, Brown fired a message.
It said: “You made everyone at the club unemployed with your article. Sire is shutting the club down and will name you as the reason.”
According to documents, Kailahi lost the case but is appealing.
Brown spoke to SunSport again in February, as fathers sent their young children to hug him and thank him for saving the club.
He said, with words that may now appear hollow: “We just love rugby league and Salford fans are passionate about rugby league.
“We’ve seen the trouble they’ve been in, and we’ve always lightly followed Salford because of the connections we’ve had here.
“You’ve seen what we plan going forward. It’s not about rugby league, it’s about the community.
“It’s about getting the fans involved.
“It’s basically just for the fans of Salford. We’re in it to win it now.
“We’re coming here to include ourselves in what could be a better Salford.”
