Glamorous ex of wealthy property developer allegedly found wandering city streets late at night with a big bag of coke: 'Heavily drugged'

By CANDACE SUTTON, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 00:15, 21 July 2026 | Updated: 00:26, 21 July 2026 The ex-wife of Australia's fifth-biggest property tycoon was arrested 'heavily under the influence' while carrying 66g of cocaine in inner Sydney, police allege.  Sonya Georgalis, 48, once married to Nick Georgalis and mother of their four children, was found around 11pm in possession of several drugs in Redfern, police allege. Mr Georgalis runs Geocon, the giant hotel management and construction company based in Canberra. He separated from his wife in 2023, around the same time as they sold their $6.6million family mansion. Police found Georgalis 'heavily affected' by drugs late on a Tuesday night, May 19, and allegedly carrying 66.1g of cocaine, plus a small amount of opioid analgesics. She was taken to Mascot Police Station and placed in the cells overnight.  Georgalis faced court the next day and pleaded guilty to possessing a prescribed restricted substance and supplying a prohibited drug of an indictable quantity. But she has now been allowed to reverse her guilty pleas because a court has accepted they were drug-affected pleas. The ex-wife of a leading property developer who was 'heavily under the influence' and allegedly carrying 66g of cocaine in inner Sydney has been allowed to change her guilty plea Sonya Georgalis, who was married to Australia's fifth-largest developer Nick Georgalis and is the mother of their four children, was found around 11pm in Redfern, police allege Boss of property giant Geocon Nick Georgalis has billions invested in apartments under construction in the ACT, and is the brainchild behind the Icon Hotels brand At the time, a judge released her on bail ahead of sentencing. But last week Georgalis applied to withdraw her guilty plea and told the court 'she was heavily under the influence of drugs when she entered the plea'. Judge Greg Grogin at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court agreed to change the pleas to not guilty and continued bail until a further hearing next month. Georgalis will remain on bail on conditions of abstaining from alcohol and drugs unless prescribed by a doctor until late August.  Ms Georgalis has appeared regularly on the social scene, attending race meetings in Victoria, NSW and in the ACT where she lives, and has operated a sleep clinic. Her usual well-groomed and glamorous appearance contrasted with a more dishevelled look when she appeared in court after her night in custody.  She and her ex once travelled the world as a family with their kids - now in their teens - to Rome, Paris, the Greek islands and South America, especially Rio de Janeiro.  Her ex-husband is a noted art collector who founded Geocon in 2007, and now has billions invested in apartments under construction in the ACT. Mr Georgalis is the brainchild behind the Icon Hotels brand. He is not accused nor associated with any of the charges now facing his ex-wife. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.