Crown Resorts, one of Australia’s largest entertainment companies, is now looking for a new Chief Executive Officer after Ken Barton decided to resign following the release of the Bergin report last week.
The report was put together by Patricia Bergin, a New South Wales Supreme Court Judge, and her inquiry found evidence that the company’s facilities and accounts were used for money laundering. The New South Wales Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority formed the inquiry, which started in August 2019.
The report clearly states that Crown Resorts is now deemed unsuitable to operate a casino at Barangaroo in central Sydney, even though the company invested 2 billion dollars in that development.
In her report, commissioner Bergin singled out Ken Barton and stated that he was not suitable for controlling the casino license of the company. About Barton, the report said: “His problems will not be cured by the appointment of people expert in the field who report to him.”
Moreover, the report insists that Barton should have started a full investigation into the accusations of money laundering when the inquiry began. The former chief executive is also accused of misleading the company’s shareholders during a 2019 general meeting.