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Sky Blues, the Islands and club is close to Cayman fears that going bust; SPECIAL INVESTIGATION HOW COVENTRY CITY OWNER SET UP 'MORTGAGE' ON CLUB ASSETS RIGHT DOWN TO LAWN MOWERS AT TRAINING GROUND.
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Byline: Les Reid
GRAND CAYMAN COVENTRY FEARS that Coventry City could be close to going bust are growing - following a Telegraph investigation into owner Sisu's offshore business dealings in the Cayman Islands.
Our investigation has prompted Coventry City Council leader John Mutton to call on the football club's hedge fund owners to be fully "open and transparent" if it wants to lodge any serious bid for a half share of the Ricoh stadium and surrounding development land.
We investigated a business arrangement set up by Sisu in March, which appears to give first call on any of the football club's existing or future assets to a Cayman Islands operation - called Arvo Master Fund Ltd.
In response to our questioning, Sky Blues chief executive Tim Fisher said Arvo was now the investor in Coventry City Football Club which is propping up its finances.
The Arvo "debenture" examined by the Telegraph - effectively a mortgage arrangement - was lodged with Companies House in March 19 and lists assets as security against lending by Arvo - down to the last grass mower and gym equipment at the club's Ryton training ground.
Crucially, it also lists as "fixed security" any property the Sky Blues acquires in future.
Coun Mutton said our findings added to his concerns that, if Sisu was to acquire half of the Ricoh stadium company, it could be used to pay off Sisu and its investors - rather than supporting the struggling football club's finances. Brendan Guilfoyle, a leading UK expert in football finance and an insolvency practitioner, claimed our findings alongside other recent developments all suggested Coventry City could soon be heading for administration - unless a Ricoh rescue deal is struck quickly.
But Coun Mutton has re-iterated the council is in no hurry, and would want to go through Sisu's business dealings, and any future business case, with "a finetoothed comb".
Mr Guilfoyle, who has previously been appointed administrator for Leeds Utd, Crystal Palace, Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle, added: "Hedge funds are routinely domiciled in the Cayman Islands for the purposes of tax minimisation and to retain a higher level of confidentiality."
Coun Mutton said such concerns would be fully examined by the city council and its lawyers, in taxpayers' interests, "if Sisu were to put forward what looks like a viable business case".
On March 19, a company called Arvo Master Fund Ltd, based in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, registered debentures against the Sky Blues operating company and its holding company to secure amounts owed to it by the Sky Blues.
In response to our questions, Mr Fisher said Arvo Master Fund Ltd is part of Mayfair-based Sisu, and is "Sisu's hedge fund" investing pounds 500,000 a month to meet the club's "funding gap".
QUESTIONS: finance Brendan Guilfoyle It has prompted further speculation about whether UK-based private equity funds set up by Sisu to fund the football club still have investors putting money into them.
Mr Fisher last week played down the debenture with Arvo - concern over which had been raised by some Coventry City fans on fans' websites - telling us: "It's normal business practice and just means that one Sisu company has call on assets of another Sisu company. If you didn't do that you'd need your head looking at."
While no further evidence is available of Arvo's business dealings or relationship with Sisu or the Sky Blues, Mr Guilfoyle questioned Mr Fisher's explanation - in particular the timing of the debenture, with the Sky Blues in deep financial trouble.
Mr Guilfoyle, of The P&A Partnership, said no such arrangements had previously appeared to be in place, and asked: "What assets does the football club have and why take security now?" He said: "A debenture is like the mortgage on my house, I have borrowed money to buy my house and my mortgage lender has a charge on my house to secure my borrowings in case I don't repay my mortgage.
"The Sky Blues have undoubtedly borrowed money from Sisu, and they are now seeking to secure the loans on the assets of the club.
"The problem with that is there doesn't appear to be any significant assets in Coventry City Football Club."
Mr Guilfoyle went on to speculate that the debenture has been put there to enable Sisu to retain control in the event that the club is forced into administration.
He said "I think it may be a precautionary step to enable them to retain control in the event of the club going into administration."
This development together with the Sky Blues witholding rent on the Ricoh stadium for more than two months, and the club's failure to sign off and lodge its accounts - leading to a transfer embargo; has intensified speculation that administration may be inevitable. There are increasing fears about the ability of Sisu to continue funding the football club.
Mr Guilfoyle said: "I hear anecdotally that the immediate funding requirement over the close season is nearly pounds 3million."
It comes amid ongoing talks between Sisu and the Ricoh Arena company's owners - Coventry City Council and the Alan Edward Higgs Charity - about Sisu obtaining the Higgs charity's half-share in Arena Coventry Ltd to gain revenue for the deficit-hit club.
QUESTIONS: Football finance expert Brendan Guilfoyle
CAPTION(S):
TAX HAVEN: The Cayman Islands offer 'tax minimisation and a higher level of confidentiality' according to Mr Guilfoyle DEAL? Sisu wants to buy a half-share in the Ricoh
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