Sam Wood's rise from The Bachelor heartthrob to fitness millionaire has been scarred by furious business partners left out of pocket, courtroom showdowns, tax issues and even accusations he pinched rivals' recipes.
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he → scar → recipes
As the one-time reality TV star remains locked up in a Queensland jail awaiting trial on domestic violence charges against his wife Snezana, a full picture of the controversies that dogged his health juggernaut is now emerging.
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that → remain → juggernaut
Wood sold his 28 by Sam Wood platform to Melbourne billionaire Dennis Bastas in 2022 when it was valued at more than $70million, walking away with $15million.
Yet court documents and earlier scandals reveal the path to that payday was far messier than first thought.
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path → sell → payday
Court documents obtained by Daily Mail reveal one bitter fight erupted with Loup - the firm that launched Hollywood superstar Chris Hemsworth's Centr platform - after their commercial deal collapsed in September 2016.
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deal → obtain → September
The collapse centred around claims Loup (then The Health Consultancy) wanted to open the 28 platform to other influencers and celebrities.
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Loup → centre → influencers
According to sources who spoke to The Age's Fiona Byrne, Wood demanded he remain the only face of the brand.
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he → accord → brand
After roughly eight months, they agreed to split.
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they → agree → months
Sam Wood and his wife Snezana in 2018 when he launched his 28 app
Fitness gurus Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw were disappointed with the news of Wood copying their recipe
But what started amicably quickly turned toxic.
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started → launch → recipe
Wood sued in the County Court of Victoria, accusing Loup of failing to monitor Facebook group posts, emailing the customer database to promote influencer Tiffiny Hall's rival TiffXO program, and refusing to hand over exercise videos free of encumbrances - even trying to charge him $50,000 for the assets.
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Wood → sue → assets
Documents suggested Wood was also upset the company continued to use his name and refer to his 'crew' after he jumped ship.
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he → suggest → ship
Loup denied every claim and counter-sued, saying Wood paid an initial $425,000 at the split but then failed to deliver four monthly $100,000 payments - leaving them $400,000 short.
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Wood → deny → payments
Under the original deal, Loup was to help leverage Wood's Bachelor fame, negotiate with Channel 10 to ease commercial restrictions on his name, and build the online training business.
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Loup → help → business
Wood would own 60 per cent, Loup 40 per cent.
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Loup → own → cent
The reality star hit back, declaring he didn't need to pay up due to the alleged breaches by Loup.
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he → hit → Loup
The tit-for-tat matter was eventually settled out of court on terms a source described to Byrne as 'less than satisfactory' for Loup.
Sam and Snezana Wood in 2018 when life was just a little simpler than it is now
The two sides have no ongoing relationship.
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sides → settle → relationship
It was not the only legal war Wood has been embroiled in.
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Wood → embroil → ?
In 2018, Melbourne businessmen George Moraitis and Jim Angelopoulos launched action in the Supreme Court of Victoria, claiming Wood had reneged on a deal that would have given them a 25 per cent stake in the 28 platform.
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that → launch → platform
The men said they began work in July 2016 building the website, app and backend while Wood remained the public face.
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Wood → say → website
But by November 2017, the partnership had collapsed.
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partnership → collapse → November
Despite repeated requests, they claimed Wood refused to transfer the shares and cut them out completely after they had 'worked long hours and well above and beyond' normal employee expectations.
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they → repeat → expectations
Wood denied any share agreement existed, insisting the pair were only entitled to 25 per cent of net profit after tax while they provided management services.
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they → deny → services
He dismissed their use of the word 'partner' on business cards as purely 'colloquial'.
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He → dismiss → cards
The lavish Noosa resort where Wood is accused of strangling his wife
Andrew Wood (left) and Sam Wood's lawyer Mathew Cuskelly (right) leave Maroochydore Court House following his failed bail application on October 8
The case was listed for a two-week trial in March 2019 before it was 'dismissed by consent'.
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it → accuse → consent
Adding to the growing list of controversies, Wood's platform was also accused in 2018 of publishing recipes almost identical to those of rival fitness duo Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw's Keep It Cleaner program.
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platform → add → program
A leaked internal email from 28's creative and social manager Keira Rae reportedly showed her bragging that she 'went in and downloaded all their good recipes ... idiots xx', complete with a link to a KIC chocolate fudge recipe, the Daily Telegraph reported then.
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Telegraph → leak → recipe
28's almond butter nut cups closely mirrored KIC's choc nut cups - which first appeared on the rival blog in 2016 - with only minor differences in name and recommended butter.
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which → mirror → name
Leaked emails to the Telegraph also revealed staff had been trawling through Michelle Bridges' 12WBT site for ideas.
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staff → leak → ideas
Bridges had risen to fame as a tough-love trainer on The Biggest Loser in 2007 before appearing in various reality television programs.
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Bridges → rise → programs
Smith, who had considered Wood a mate, told The Daily Telegraph at the time: 'We didn't want to believe it, but after seeing the imagery and method and recipes themselves, it's blatantly obvious.'
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it → consider → imagery
Henshaw said they had spent hours developing and testing the recipe on their families: 'We developed the choc nut cup recipe a year-and-a-half ago… which is what makes it so disheartening.'
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it → say → recipe
Wood responded that his nutritionist and chef created the version after members requested it, having noticed KIC's earlier recipe.
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members → respond → recipe
Michelle Bridges (right) and her former partner and Biggest Loser co-star Steve Willis, also known as Commando Steve
Wood's nut cup recipe was very similar to KIC's
He also posted a private Facebook message to his community addressing the claims.
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He → know → claims
Moving forward to November last year, Wood was embroiled in a tax evasion scandal.
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Wood → move → scandal
The Deputy Commissioner of Taxation launched civil action against Wood in the County Court of Victoria seeking more than $7million in allegedly unpaid money for the tax periods ending June 30, 2022, June 30, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
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Commissioner → launch → periods
According to documents lodged with the court, the total amount of unpaid tax and interest charges due to the ATO was $7,349,264.86, the Herald Sun reported then.
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Sun → accord → ATO
In February, with the matter set to land back in court, Wood claimed the 'majority' of the tax bill had been paid.
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majority → set → bill
'My lawyer has been in correspondence with the ATO regularly regarding the final payment being made,' Wood told the publication.
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Wood → regard → publication
Just days ago, it was revealed Wood planned to sell the couple's multimillion-dollar Brighton home.
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Wood → reveal → home
The Woods bought the home for $7.15million in an off-market deal in September last year.
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Woods → buy → September
The sale of a $7.15million Brighton property (pictured with a For Sale sign) Wood and Snezana purchased last year is expected to lose them a million dollars
Sam Wood and Snezana after another property sale
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Wood → picture → sale
…and 15 more, not listed.
The Aporia
