Sonya Georgalis, the ex-wife of prominent Australian property developer Nick Georgalis, has been permitted to withdraw her guilty plea to drug-related charges after arguing she was heavily under the influence of drugs at the time of her plea. Georgalis, 48, was arrested in May 2026 in inner Sydney while allegedly in possession of 66.1 grams of cocaine and a small quantity of opioid analgesics.
Police found Georgalis in Redfern around 11 p.m., described as being heavily affected by drugs. She was taken to Mascot Police Station and subsequently faced court the following day. At that initial appearance, she pleaded guilty to possessing a prescribed restricted substance and supplying a prohibited drug of an indictable quantity.
However, Georgalis later applied to withdraw her guilty plea, asserting that her judgment was impaired by drug use when she entered it. Judge Greg Grogin at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court accepted her argument, changing the pleas to not guilty. Bail was continued for Georgalis under the condition that she abstains from alcohol and drugs unless prescribed by a doctor until late August, with a further hearing scheduled for next month.
Nick Georgalis, Sonya Georgalis's ex-husband, is the founder of Geocon, a major hotel management and construction company based in Canberra. He has billions invested in apartments under construction in the Australian Capital Territory and is behind the Icon Hotels brand. The couple separated in 2023, around the same time they sold their family home for $6.6 million. Nick Georgalis is not accused of any wrongdoing in relation to his ex-wife's charges.
Sonya Georgalis, a mother of four, has previously been a public figure, attending social events and operating a sleep clinic. Her socialite image was noted to contrast with her appearance in court following her arrest.