John Ibrahim’s ‘work wife’ has been caught driving while under the influence of ice.
Margaret Staltaro, 44, has handled the finances for the Kings Cross identity for over 20 years and helped him build a multi-million dollar nightclub and property empire.
But on a Friday afternoon in March, Ibrahim’s right-hand woman was pulled over by police while driving in Mosman and instantly raised suspicions, Fairfax reported.
‘When speaking with the accused, she averted her eyes from police … and her hands were clenching and unclenching irregularly,’ court documents allege.
Ms Staltaro, who was allegedly driving with an unregistered car and on a suspended driver’s license, was made to take a drug test and tested positive for ice.
Margaret Staltaro, 44, has admitted to driving under the influence of ice in March. The savvy businesswoman is John Ibrahim’s right hand woman and helped him build his Sydney nightclub empire for more than 20 years
Ms Staltaro (left), who was allegedly driving with an unregistered car and on a suspended driver’s license, was made to take a drug test and tested positive for ice
‘She was asked if there were any drugs in the car and she replied there was maybe something in there that she had confiscated from her nephew,’ documents allege.
‘The accused became more visibly nervous, holding the sides of her neck.’
Police found 0.1 grams of methylamphetamine, known as meth or ice in Australia, stored in her handbag and a pipe used for smoking the drug stashed between a seat.
She pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and drug possession in June, and has been entered into a rehabilitation program with regular drug testing.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, she was unable to make it to a sentencing hearing at Manly Court on Wednesday because of a medical operation overseas.
Her barrister said she was unable to fly back from Thailand as she was recovering from complications after undergoing the surgery.
Her court case was adjourned for six weeks.
Ms Staltaro was listed on search warrants along with her boss Ibrahim, whose house was raided earlier this month (pictured)
John Ibrahim (L) first met Margaret Staltaro (R) when she made him pay $15 to get into a club – ‘I fell in love with her right there,’ he wrote in his autobiography
Ibrahim first met Ms Staltaro when she made him pay $15 to get into a club – ‘I fell in love with her right there,’ he wrote in his autobiography.
Two weeks later she quit her job and has been with him ever since, even living in a townhouse three doors down from her boss’ home in beachside Dover Heights.
Her unwavering loyalty saw her dragged into the massive drug investigation engulfing the Ibrahim clan, with her home raided along with his earlier this month.
She was listed on search warrants alongside Ibrahim’s brothers, girlfriend and son Daniel – who lives in the same building as her.
Neither Ms Staltaro or John Ibrahim have been charged, arrested or accused of any crimes in relation to the international drug sting.
The 44-year-old led a colourful life as the ‘last piece of the puzzle’ in Ibrahim’s slick operation that ran Sydney’s Kings Cross and Oxford Street for well over a decade.
She ran the books, handled the money, organised staff, and even assessed whether female staff who accused their boyfriends of hitting them were telling the truth.
Ibrahim bought her a unit on George Street in Dover Heights (pictured) for $2.49 million in 2007
The unprecedented drug smuggling investigation saw Ibrahim’s brothers and son along with others arrested
People soon started calling Ms Staltaro the ‘female Tongan Sam’ in reference to Ibrahim’s longtime bodyguard Semi ‘Tongan Sam’ Ngata.
‘(She’s) as sharp with the cash as I am, I never have to explain anything to her,’ Ibrahim wrote in Last King of the Cross.
‘Margaret is like a wife, without the sex or the cooking, or cleaning. Just the arguing and nagging.’
The nightblub baron bought her the unit on George Street in Dover Heights for $2.49 million in 2007 through his Chelsea Ventures company.
His son Daniel lives in the other unit on the property, which was also raided earlier this month as he was charged with handing over $2.25 million to import illegal tobacco.
The 44-year-old (R) led a colourful life as the ‘last piece of the puzzle’ in Ibrahim’s slick operation that ran Sydney’s Kings Cross and Oxford Street for well over a decade.
People soon started calling Ms Staltaro the ‘female Tongan Sam’ in reference to Ibrahim’s longtime bodyguard Semi ‘Tongan Sam’ Ngata (pictured)
Ms Staltaro has her own interests in the Sydney nightlife and retail scene, spending almost $10 million on two Kings Cross properties in 2014.
She paid $4.1 million for 32 Bayswater Road and $5.2 million for 28 Bayswater Road, which houses a burger joint, three months later.
Number 32 houses Crane Bar, a late-night bar and restaurant owned by Ibrahim’s model girlfriend Sarah Budge, 27, who was arrested earlier this month after a Glock 26 with the serial number filed off was allegedly found in her bedroom.
Ms Staltaro was also linked to notorious Kings Cross strip club DreamGirls, which was shut down in late 2015 for multiple licence breaches.
The savvy operator was the business partner of the club’s licencee Michael Amante but claimed to take a ‘passive role’ while he ran the day to day.
Months before DreamGirls was shut down, she became ‘concerned’ about how it was being run and agreed to buy Mr Amante out and install new management.
She ran the books, handled the money, organised staff, and even assessed whether female staff who accused their boyfriends of hitting them were telling the truth
Ms Staltaro paid $4.1 million for 32 Bayswater Road in Kings Cross in 2014, which houses Budge’s late-night bar and restaurant Crane Bar
Ms Staltaro was also linked to notorious Kings Cross strip club DreamGirls, which was shut down in late 2015 for multiple licence breaches
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