According to Travel Bulletin, Hawkins earned at least A$1.5m annually before his departure from Star.
He was among several senior executives who exited the company in 2022 after an inquiry into Star’s suitability as a casino operator began. The inquiry was prompted by widespread mismanagement of company operations and alleged money laundering.
The investigation determined that Hawkins had twice failed to meet his responsibilities as a director while serving in his leadership role at Star Entertainment.
ASIC launched its lawsuit in December the same year, focusing on 11 current and former executives and board , amid allegations of corporate governance failures, particularly regarding weaknesses in anti-money laundering procedures.
The regulator said the executives neglected their duties by not properly addressing the risks of money laundering within the company’s casino operations.
The case is currently under review in the Federal Court of Australia, which will assess whether the executives violated corporate regulations through their actions or inaction.
More settlements expected
The agreement with Hawkins follows a similar arrangement made between ASIC and former Star Entertainment chief financial officer Harry Theodore.Theodore’s settlement included a A$60,000 fine, and he has reportedly agreed to assist ASIC by providing testimony in the ongoing case.
With settlements reached for both Theodore and Hawkins, the focus now shifts to the remaining executives still facing legal scrutiny. The Federal Court will conduct a final hearing to determine whether these individuals engaged in unlawful behaviour while employed by Star Entertainment.
At present, Greg Hawkins holds the role of acting chief operating officer at Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc., a division of Bloomberry Resorts Corp., a publicly listed company in the Philippines.
He took over the position following the retirement of former COO Thomas Arasi.
Star Entertainment operates The Star Sydney casino in New South Wales and maintains gaming licences in Queensland. In August 2023, the company unveiled The Star Brisbane, a casino complex that is part of the recently-opened $3.6bn Queen’s Wharf Brisbane project.
Alongside its legal troubles, Star Entertainment is also grappling with financial difficulties.
On Monday, the company revealed that Oaktree Capital Management, a US-based investment firm, has put forward a A$650m refinancing proposal aimed at helping the casino operator manage its debt obligations.
