10 Brisbane Instagram stars who have faced the courts
To their thousands of Instagram followers these reality TV stars, personal trainers and beauty influencers lead charmed lives. But they have all faced the courts for drug offences or other crimes. SEE THE LIST
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They’re the reality TV superstars, fitness gurus, TikTok content creators and Instagram models who have attracted thousands of followers for sharing their glamorous lifestyles.
But some have fallen foul of the law. From TV reality stars caught trafficking drugs to personal trainers dabbling in steroids and OnlyFans content creators posting revenge porn, these are just a few of the crimes allegedly committed by some well-known influencers.
Queensland University of Technology media studies expert Professor Kim Johnston said influencers were not exempt from making bad decisions.
“Influencers attract large amounts of income from aligned brands and social media followers and subscribers based on their curated lifestyles, brand values and behaviours – but you can only curate to an extent,” Prof Johnston said.
She said an influencer’s popularity could crash in an instant so it was vital for them to avoid criminal behaviour.
“The stakes are high for influencers though because they are a brand with a following that attracts corporate sponsorships,” she said.
“By being involved in criminal behaviours, then not only are they threatening their income base, they are also creating alternative or unintended brand values that may not appeal to current followers or corporate sponsorship.”
Here are just some tInsta stars who have landed themselves in southeast courts.
CONVICTIONS RECORDED
CHRISTOPHER MARK JENSEN
Followers: 68.4k
Married At First Sight star and Insta-famous social media influencer Christopher Mark Jensen was caught trafficking $100,000 worth of cannabis, along with cannabis and ecstasy, as part of complex drug ring.
Jensen pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Supreme Court in August last year to two counts of supplying a dangerous drug and one count of trafficking a dangerous drug.
Police discovered the then 29-year-old had been buying wholesale quantities of cannabis, cocaine and MDMA.
The court heard Jensen had connected with suppliers and customers using an encrypted messaging app and received eight supplies of cannabis from June to October in 2018 ranging from 450g to 7kg.
Jensen, who appeared in the 2021 season of MAFS, was sentenced to four years in jail, immediately suspended for four years.
CONAN VISSER
Followers: 11.4K
Children’s charity founder and TikTok documentary maker, Conan Visser faced court after supplying cocaine to friends.
Visser, 37, who started the former anti-bullying children’s charity I Can I Will, pleaded guilty to seven counts of supplying a dangerous drug and one of drug possession.
The anti-bullying advocate, who attracted 22 million views on his TikTok documentary series about the effects on his body of drinking alcohol, was paid for the drugs he supplied.
Crown prosecutor, Kimberley Thomas, said Visser sourced the illicit drugs for friends and sold them in a social context, but with a commercial element.
Visser supplied cocaine, ranging from 0.5-2g, to friends on seven occasions over a two-month period. He was also found with 0.16g of substance containing cocaine.
Defence counsel Chris Minnery said that after media attention about Visser’s 2020 domestic violence-related sentence, his client received online death threats. A psychologist diagnosed him with depression.
Judge Leanne Clare sentenced Visser to nine months’ jail, immediately suspended, for an operational period of two years and recorded the convictions.
EUGENE FRANCIS BRADSHAW
Followers: 7321
Personal trainer-turned-businessman Eugene Francis Bradshaw narrowly escaped jail time after he was caught with a huge stash of steroids, convincing a court he was “turning his life around”.
Bradshaw appeared in Brisbane Supreme Court in March, 2021 where he was sentenced to two years’ jail with immediate parole after pleading guilty to supplying and possessing dangerous drugs.
The bodybuilder was on bail after police found 8.5g of steroids and 1.24g of pure cocaine in a car in August, 2019, in which Bradshaw was travelling.
WhatsApp messages found on his phone revealed he sold one buyer $350 worth of cocaine.
The court heard Bradshaw was due to complete a masters in physiotherapy before he “fell into bad company” and began taking drugs and partying five days a week.
Barrister James Veivers said his client had opened a new business, Bumble Bee Car Care, in April 2021 and was well supported by his parents, from Warwick, and new partner.
Convictions were recorded.
TY CLINT HARRIS
Followers: 60k Facebook
Followers: 1.2k Instagram
Social media star and blogger, Ty Clint Harris, received a blistering dressing down from a magistrate for his “hostile, resistant and undermining” behaviour while on a probation order.
Harris pleaded guilty in Wynnum Magistrates Court in July, 2021 to one count of breaching the order.
The then 40-year-old, well known in the Wynnum-Manly region for his blog, The Bay Today, was convicted and sentenced to 18 months’ probation for previous offending in October, 2020.
The court heard Harris had been afforded numerous opportunities to engage with his order but continued to show a “hostile, aggressive” attitude.
Magistrate Zachary Sarra encouraged Harris to reject his probation order should he not be interested in it.
“You strike me as a bloke who is afraid to go through that door (to prison),” Mr Sarra said.
“Have some courage. Take your medicine.”
Harris was fined $1500. A conviction was recorded.
NO CONVICTIONS RECORDED
ANNA HUMENIUK
real estate professional Anna Louise Humeniuk, 27, was given a “second chance” by a magistrate after dabbling in the underground drug world.
The Newstead Instagram influencer was sentenced in the Brisbane Magistrates Court in October last year, having pleaded guilty to four counts of supplying an “unspecified” amount of an “unspecified” drug.
Humeniuk’s lawyer, Adam Guest, who said his client’s actions were “at the behest of someone else”.
Mr Guest said his client was a person “easily influenced”.
A magistrate rejected those claims but told Humeniuk that she deserves a second chance but “don’t expect a third.”
She was ordered to pay a $3000 fine. Convictions were not recorded.
ETHAN JOSEPH MORATTI
Followers: 40k
Redland Bay teenage TikToker, Ethan Joseph Moratti, faced court for his role as the “ring leader” in a premeditated home invasion in Brisbane’s west last year.
Moratti, who went viral on TikTok for his marine conservation videos, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court in May last year to armed robbery in company, burglary by break/in company, wilful damage, possessing dangerous drugs and obstructing a police officer.
The court heard the then 19-year-old and two co-accused drove to the townhouse of a man who allegedly owed him money for drugs.
The group allegedly broke through the front door armed with a baseball bat, sticks and a hammer.
They badly damaged the townhouse and demanded as payment two mobile phones, a Bluetooth speaker, a scooter and a pair of Nike shoes.
Moratti was placed on probation for three years and ordered to complete 120 hours of community service.
No convictions were recorded.
MICHAEL ANTHONY LANGANIS
Followers: 15k
Insta popular barbershop owner, Michael Anthony Langanis, narrowly avoided jail last year after he supplied a bag of cocaine to an undercover police officer.
The court heard Langanis offered the police officer the cocaine after he came into his barbershop asking for drugs, before asking another person to supply $350 of cocaine.
Langanis, 26, owner of the Langanis Barber franchise in the CBD, Teneriffe and West End, was targeted as part of Operation Sierra Gypsy.
More serious charges including drug trafficking were dropped, the court heard.
Langanis plead guilty to supplying cocaine and 13 summary offences and was sentenced to 12 months’ probation. No conviction was recorded.
PHYBIE MARIE SLOSS
A young Moreton Bay mum and OnlyFans content maker fronted court after posting a sex tape, along with explicit photos of an ex-lover, on her OnlyFans page in an act of revenge porn.
North Lakes resident Phybie Marie Sloss pleaded guilty in Pine Rivers Magistrates Court in November last year to distributing intimate images without consent after the post on her adult content page in June that year.
The court heard Sloss posted three intimate images and one video, which contained footage of a sexual act between her and the victim, to get back at his new partner.
One of the images was posted and captioned “this is for you” with a heart emoji.
The victim’s ex-partner contacted her and asked her to take the photos and video down, the court heard.
Sloss was sentenced to a three-month, $300 good behaviour bond.
No convictions were recorded.
JUSTIN WAYNE ROBERTSON
Followers: 1.2k
Springwood personal trainer, Justin Wayne Robertson landed in court after being busted with cocaine and marijuana.
Robertson pleaded guilty in Beenleigh Magistrates Court in May last year to two counts of possessing dangerous drugs and possessing utensils or pipes.
Police prosecutor Senior-Constable Donna Cole said police searched Robertson’s home in Springwood on March 24 that year.
They found 3.8g of cocaine, 99.9g of cannabis, digital scales and a used water pipe which Robertson told police he had bought for a party that weekend.
His lawyer told the court his client worked as a personal trainer and had opened up his own business in 2020 which had since “flourished”.
“He said he smoked cannabis as a teenager, he has been (abstaining from) for some several weeks from cannabis,” he said.
“The cocaine was for recreational use and he regrets that decision.”
Magistrate Terry Duroux said he was troubled by Robertson’s offending.
“You need to stay away from drugs. Drugs will screw up your whole life,” he said.
Robertson was fined $1500.
No convictions were recorded.
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