Former Star executives fined A$1.1m over governance failures
Former Star Entertainment Group executives Mathias Bekier and Paula Martin have been fined a combined A$1.1m and disqualified from managing Australian companies following serious governance failings linked to money-laundering and criminal-activity risks.
Australia’s Federal Court has imposed substantial penalties and management bans on two former senior executives of The Star Entertainment Group.
Former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Mathias Bekier was fined A$700,000 and disqualified from managing corporations for six years.
Paula Martin, Star’s former General Counsel, Company Secretary and Chief Legal and Risk Officer, was fined A$400,000 and disqualified for seven years. The pair must also pay 45 per cent of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s legal costs.
The Court previously found that Bekier and Martin had breached their duties through their handling of risks associated with money laundering and criminal activity at Star’s casinos.
ASIC said the failures occurred in a highly regulated environment and contributed to significant governance breakdowns within the operator.
The case concerned Star’s relationships with overseas gambling junkets and its handling of China UnionPay card transactions. ASIC said Martin failed to escalate alarming information concerning a junket operator to the company’s board, while Bekier failed to ensure that serious risks were properly addressed.
The penalties follow the Federal Court’s March 2026 ruling that both executives had breached their duties under Australia’s Corporations Act.
Two other former Star executives were penalised in 2025 after admitting related breaches. Former Chief Casino Officer Gregory Hawkins was fined A$180,000 and disqualified for 18 months, while former Chief Financial Officer Harry Theodore received a A$60,000 penalty and a nine-month ban.
