Shame , he learn nothing after the press came at him
Had this for 20 months but waited until now
SOURCE: Mediaweek
The gambling scandal
In 2016, Rothfield was caught up in a controversy involving gambler Eddie Hayson, who was at the centre of some betting scandals in rugby league and racing.
Fairfax Media’s Nick McKenzie and Kate McClymont broke the news in mid-2016 on smh.com.au.
“It was really, really hard,” Rothfield told Mediaweek. “I was used to writing this sort of story about other people.”
Rothfield confessed what happened was a mistake that he has learnt from.
“He [Hayson] was a very good contact of mine. He gave me a lot of big stories over the years. In return I bought him tickets to go to the football, not for free though.
“I used my credit card and paid for the tickets. He paid me back, but he put the money into my TAB account rather than giving me the money itself. This was a mistake I made.”
The story made multiple headlines on various news outlets. These are not the sorts of headlines Rothfield ever wanted to attract. “It was a really, really hard time for me and my family.
“I had unbelievable support from News Corp. They did a month-long investigation, which cleared me of any wrongdoing. I am pleased with the way it worked out.”
As a result of unwanted media attention and backlash on social platforms, Rothfield stepped away from his duties at News Corp for a brief period. He said this helped him clear his head out.
“I suffered a bit of anxiety from it. I needed some time off to deal with it,” he said. “I am in a much better place now.”