Fitness influencer and Only Fans model Charles ‘Cheeky Charlie’ Gardiner charged with rape amid crypto kidnapping plot allegations

A Bayswater fitness influencer with a model girlfriend who shows off on OnlyFans has been charged with raping a person just days after allegedly kidnapping a crypto broker to ransom.

Charles ‘Cheeky Charlie’ Gardiner, 31, charged with rape, kidnapping and blackmail. Picture: Supplied.

A popular fitness influencer who struts his stuff on OnlyFans has been charged with rape as he fights allegations he kidnapped and blackmailed a crypto broker.

Charles ‘Cheeky Charlie’ Gardiner, 31, fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court alongside his Onlyfans model and Instagram influencer girlfriend on Thursday charged with rape, kidnapping and blackmail.

Sex crimes detectives charged Mr Gardiner, of Bayswater, on November 22 over a rape that allegedly occurred in July.

Charles Gardiner, 31, charged with rape, kidnapping and blackmail. Picture: Oscar Jaeger.

Mr Gardiner, alongside co-accused Travis Thickens, 24, and Maree Matic, 30, also faced a committal on separate charges of kidnapping and blackmailing a man for Crypto currency back in July just days before he allegedly raped a person.

The court heard Mr Gardiner gave $10,000 to a “crypto broker” to put into a crypto wallet.

Mr Gardiner claimed the broker stole his money and allegedly kidnapped him at a Chelsea property alongside Mr Thickens and Ms Matic in a revenge plot to get back his money.

Court documents reveal Mr Gardiner allegedly assaulted the broker by pistol whipping him with an imitation firearm and demanded $19,000 in payment for his safe release.

Police also allege Mr Gardiner stole $6000 belonging to the broker.

Under cross examination the broker denied stealing Mr Gardiner’s money and told the court he had cut contact with Mr Gardiner after a month of association when his behaviour became “erratic” and “dangerous”.

Charlie Gardiner, 31, pictured with his OnlyFans model girlfriend who supported him in court. Picture: Supplied.

“He started calling me at all hours … telling me that his business partner was doing wrong by him and said he was going to run through his house in St Kila’s house with a gun,” the broker said.

“He was asking me to sell drugs for him.”

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Mr Gardiner’s lawyer claimed the broker was making up a “cover story” for stealing Mr Gardiner’s money.

Charlie Gardiner is charged with kidnapping and blackmailing a “crypto broker” amid a dispute over $10,000. Picture: Supplied.

The broker “thought his life was in danger”, the court heard, after allegedly seeing Mr Gardiner and another man outside his house with imitation guns – prompting him to install security cameras which allegedly captured still images that incriminated the accused.

But before more detail could be revealed the committal proceeding was cut short.

The defence revealed under cross examination that a potential eye witness was yet to be interviewed by police, and there may be CCTV footage of what occurred.

Mr Gardiner has a large presence on social media where he posts fitness content filmed in Power House Gym in Bayswater.

The self-styled “gym rat” spruiks himself as the “CEO and owner” of Elevate Today Club, an online shopping website that sells various gym paraphernalia and exercise “gadgets”.

The case was adjourned to February as further evidence is gathered.