A former AFL umpire, his brother and two others have been placed on bail after a magistrate said their alleged $300,000 Brownlow Medal betting fraud charges were "serious".

Michael Pell, who resigned from AFL umpiring in 2022, was charged in late-August after a protracted police investigation into the football awards in 2021 and 2022.

His brother, Donovan Pell, was also charged, as were William Forde and Mitch Lucas.

All four men faced Melbourne Magistrates Court in person on Thursday, charged on summons with 102 offences between them.

The charges relate to about $300,000 in fraudulent betting, the court was told, and one of the men is facing 53 offences.

Many of the co-accused and witnesses in the case are family members or co-workers, the prosecutor told the court.

Magistrate Brett

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