Australia’s Federal Court has barred two former Star Entertainment executives from running companies following a case that cut deep into the casino group’s failed risk controls.
Matt Bekier, Star’s former CEO, received a six-year ban and a A$700,000 penalty, according to an announcement by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
This is a little over half of the A$1.3m that ASIC previously indicated would be a justifiable fine.
Paula Martin, Star’s former general counsel and chief legal and risk officer, was disqualified for seven years. She must pay A$400,000.
The court also ordered both former executives to pay 45% of ASIC’s costs in the case.
The penalties follow a March ruling that Bekier and Martin breached their duties to Star under the Corporations Act. The case centred on their handling of risks linked to money laundering, criminal activity and high-roller gambling arrangements.
ASIC brought the proceedings in December 2022 against 11 current and former Star directors and officers. The regulator alleged they failed to meet their duties while Star faced growing questions over casino controls, junket dealings and suspicious payments.
The court had earlier found Bekier failed to deal properly with a KPMG report on Star’s anti-money-laundering controls.
It also found failures in his handling of risks tied to Suncity, the Asian junket operator that used Star’s private Salon 95 room in Sydney.
Martin was found to have failed to inform and advise the board properly about risks linked to Suncity. The court also found she was involved in misleading National Australia Bank over China Union Pay cards used by Star customers.
ASIC has said more than A$900m was obtained by Star customers using those cards at National Australia Bank terminals between 2013 and 2019.
Star still on the road to recovery
The ruling adds to a long regulatory reckoning for Star. In February 2025, former chief casino officer Gregory Hawkins and former CFO Harry Theodore admitted duty breaches in the same ASIC case.
Hawkins was fined A$180,000 and banned for 18 months. Theodore was fined A$60,000 and banned for nine months.
Star’s operating problems have also continued at the casino level. Earlier this month, the NSW Independent Casino Commission fined The Star Sydney A$10m over four disciplinary matters.
It also required a further A$5m remediation fund for financial crime risk technology.
Those matters included systemic failures in financial crime risk operations, excessive gambling sessions, reward-point conversions into cash and failures involving an excluded patron.
The Star Sydney licence remains suspended. NSW extended the term of manager Nick Weeks until 30 September 2026, allowing the casino to keep operating under external control.
Queensland has kept Star under close watch as well. In September 2025, it pushed The Star Gold Coast’s licence suspension back to 30 September 2026 and left special-manager oversight in place.
