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February 23, 2026 — 7:30pm
The owner of Prahran nightclub Revolver has launched a civil claim against the venue’s bookkeeper, who is accused in court documents of misappropriating almost $4.5 million from the famed late-venue on Chapel Street.
Sutasinee McGuigan is accused of siphoning the funds from two bank accounts linked to the nightlife institution between August 2023 and 2025, according to a writ filed with the Supreme Court of Victoria in December.
McGuigan’s husband and daughter are both named as co-defendants in court documents and are accused of receiving misappropriated funds into their private bank accounts. The writ alleges they “wilfully shut their eyes to the obvious fact that the funds had been misappropriated” by McGuigan.
The 49-year-old bookkeeper allegedly funnelled $1,166,012 into three bank accounts in her name, while a further $2,936,098 was allegedly transferred to a joint bank account she had with husband Patrick McGuigan.
Her daughter, Alexandra McGuigan is accused of receiving $343,000 which had been misappropriated from the business owned by Melbourne hospitality identity Camillo Ippoliti.
The McGuigans are yet to file a defence. Sutasinee McGuigan did not respond to repeated requests for comment when contacted by this masthead.
Revolver is Melbourne’s longest-running nightclub and the holder of a rare 24-hour liquor licence that allows patrons to party at the club from Friday night and into Monday morning. Losing a weekend at the venue is widely considered a rite of passage for electronic music-loving Melburnians.
Known as “Pae” to colleagues at Revolver, McGuigan allegedly used “fake transaction descriptions” to conceal 594 payments made to herself or family members, including bogus invoices from international beer companies, plumbers, musicians and suppliers of audio equipment, according to the writ. One transaction listed as reimbursements for the club’s staff Christmas party was diverted to the couple’s account.
She is also accused in the writ of breaching her fiduciary duty by “making payments to herself and her relatives in bad faith and for an improper purpose being for her personal gain and to the detriment of the plaintiff”, according to the statement of claim filed on December 4.
McGuigan, who was born in Thailand, had been employed by Revolver since 2010, and a forensic accountant is examining the venue’s financial affairs over the past 16 years.
The Age has confirmed the matter was also reported to detectives at the Stonnington crime investigation unit in Malvern in late December. Charges have not been laid.
Lawyers acting for Ippoliti and his company Taniti Pty Ltd have lodged caveats on several properties owned by the McGuigan family, including apartments in Malvern and St Kilda and a sprawling mansion in Warrandyte North on more than a hectare. The caveats prevent the disposal of a property until any alleged debt has been settled.
Ippoliti, who divides his time between Melbourne and Byron Bay, declined to comment when contacted by this masthead.
Last year, Ippoliti and wife Monika sold their heritage-listed three-storey home on Little Lonsdale Street for $4.55 million.
The couple were key players in the rejuvenation of Melbourne’s CBD and founded some of the city’s hippest venues, including Cookie and The Toff In Town.
The 70-year-old co-founded Revolver Upstairs with Thai pop star Tan Punturaumporn in 1997, and the Chapel Street club colloquially known as “Revs” has attracted DJs, graffiti artists and musical acts from around the globe, including Snoop Dog, Fatboy Slim and Banksy.
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