The Federal Court barred Jonathan Law for 6 years, Michael Wilson for 10 and Geoffrey Clayton for 5, and ordered them to pay A$50,000, A$20,000 and A$20,000 respectively. Youpla’s collapse left Aboriginal families without funeral cover.
Federal Court Justice Geoffrey Kennett ordered former Youpla director Jonathan Law on 11 November 2026, to pay A$50,000 to the Commonwealth and barred him from managing corporations for 6 years. He also imposed bans and penalties on former directors Michael Wilson and Geoffrey Clayton.
Youpla Group, previously the Aboriginal Community Benefit Fund (ACBF), collapsed in March 2022, leaving more than 13,000 Aboriginal people without the means to pay for funerals. Some families turned to crowdfunding, while others left relatives' bodies in morgues as they raised money.
| Director | Management ban | Civil penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Wilson | 10 years | A$20,000 |
| Geoffrey Clayton | 5 years | A$20,000 |
The three men must also pay a combined A$17,000 (about $12,000) toward the plaintiff’s costs.
Kennett found that the directors failed to exercise the required care and diligence, failed to manage conflicts of interest and caused detriment to ACBF members. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the financial watchdog, began proceedings against five former directors and officers in August 2023.
ASIC alleged that the directors and officers maintained insurance arrangements with Crown Insurance, a Vanuatu-based company owned and controlled by Law and Youpla founder Ron Pattenden, rather than acting in the best interests of ACBF entities and members.
In October 2026, Pattenden was ordered to pay A$250,000 and barred from managing corporations for 15 years. He had acknowledged breaches of directors' duties in a settlement with ASIC. In the same judgment, Kennett found that former Youpla chief Bryn Jones had breached his duties after a contested hearing; Jones denied knowing about increases in the fund’s insurance premiums. His penalty will be determined at a later hearing.
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Youpla marketed funeral policies to Indigenous communities, including communities where English was not the first language and literacy levels were low, The Guardian said. In September 2023, the Federal Court fined Youpla A$1.2 million for misrepresenting policies: it had told plan holders they would receive a lump sum, when they could only be reimbursed for expenses they could prove they had incurred.
Australia’s government announced an A$97 million (about $67 million) support package in February 2024. It was intended to help thousands of mostly low-income Aboriginal families recover from financial loss. Eligible recipients can choose a funeral bond or a cash payment worth 60% of their policy’s value. Processing of payments to remaining recipients is due to continue until 1 December 2026.
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