Matt Bekier has resigned from his roles as chief executive and managing director of Star Entertainment Group in connection to issues raised during the ongoing review of the Star Sydney casino.
Star said its board accepted the resignation earlier today (28 March), confirming Bekier will step down from the board immediately and work with Star to transition his responsibilities.
Bekier’s final departure date as chief executive is yet to be determined, with Star saying it will make a further announcement in due course.
The resignation was in direct response to a review into Star’s casino in Sydney, which launched in June last year amid concerns over ongoing over the venue’s possible breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism laws at its casinos.
Upon tendering his resignation, Bekier said as managing director and CEO, he is accountable for the “effectiveness and adequacy of the company’s processes, policies, people and culture”.
Bekier added the right thing to do was for him to take responsibility and as such handed in his resignation notice.
Allegations raised so far at the headings include senior managers employed at the Star Sydney casino purposely deceiving regulators over illegal cash transactions in a junket room and were aware these breached money laundering rules.
When allegations of anti-money laundering failings and ties to organised crime against the venue were first raised, Star responded by calling the claims “misleading”.
Public hearings into alleged goings on at Star Sydney continue.
