Gold Coast glamour couple Tahlia Skaines, Mitch Third duel in court over fortune, claims flying
Mitch Third has broken his silence about allegations of threats of violence against his former partner and popular Instagram influencer Tahlia Skaines, and their financial tug of war.
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A Gold Coast glamour couple are now at war in court over hundreds of thousands of dollars with court documents alleging threats of violence too.
In a bitter fallout from their split last year, court documents claim Instagram influencer Tahlia Skaines made a police complaint about her former partner and fellow influencer Mitch Third.
The 24-year-old Ms Skaines, who has more than 700,000 followers, has also filed a lawsuit alleging Mr Third owes her hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The popular social media couple announced their separation last year, but the division of their business assets has allegedly triggered “threats of violence” from Mr Third, according to documents filed in the Federal Court of Australia.
Mr Third vehemently denies the allegations and is preparing to defend the matter in court.
The documents, filed by Twomey Dispute Lawyers based in West Burleigh, claimed that Mr Third threatened Ms Skaines, 24, when she sought to discuss the future of their joint business and requested access to financial records.
Mr Third, who has 42,000 followers, and Ms Skaines created e-commerce clothing company 3rdphix Collection while a couple. Since their split, the court documents alleged that Mr Third has rebranded it as Authentic Collection and barred Ms Skaines from all bank and social media accounts associated with it.
“Mr Third has responded to Ms Skaines’ attempts to discuss the future of 3rdphix Collection, and her request for financial records, with verbal threats of violence, which caused Ms Skaines concerns for her safety,” stated the documents.
“(He also responded with), threats to publish online private images taken of Ms Skaines; and publishing images and material online which degrades Ms Skaines’ character.
“Ms Skaines reported Mr Third’s actions listed above to the police.”
The documents claim Ms Skaines wanted Mr Third to buy her share of the joint business 3rdphix Collection, now operating as Authentic Collection, or that it be wound up.
It stated Ms Skaines was not allocated any of the profits since they launched it together in August 2020.
“Mr Third … has conducted the affairs of 3rdphix Collection contrary to the interests as a whole and … in a manner oppressive to, unfairly prejudicial to, or unfairly discriminatory against, Skaines Pty Ltd,” the documents state.
“It would be just and equitable to wind up the affairs of 3rdphix collection, because … the personal and professional relationship between Mr Third and Ms Skaines has completely broken down.
“Effective communication and professional courtesy between Mr Third and Ms Skaines has completely broken down (and) there is no longer any mutual trust or co-operation.
“The management of 3rdphix Collection is unilateral and dysfunctional and Mr Third has made significant decisions in the operation of 3rdphix collection (including commercialisation of the brand Authentic Collection) without the authority or consent of Ms Skaines.”
The documents show Ms Skaines seeking repayment of $175,000 she says was loaned to Mr Third and their joint company from her personal bank accounts.
Mr Third is yet to file a defence.
The Federal Court is yet to allocate a hearing date.
It’s a far cry from when the couple announced their split after nine years in September last year.
Then, Mr Third posted online: “Excited for this new chapter in my life.
“So grateful and thankful for the past nine years and everything we have experienced and achieved. I’ve definitely found my why, my purpose and I’m extremely dialled in.
“I feel blessed that I get to wake up every day loving what I do.”
In a statement to the Gold Coast Bulletin, Mr Third said:
“I had hoped that in my split with Tahlia that we would be able to resolve the business matters between us in as private and amicable manner as possible.
“I know we are both present on social media, but from the beginning, I did not want to let any dispute between us play out in public, and I stand by the statement that I made when we first split.
“I am still grateful and respectful of the time I had with Tahlia, what we were able to achieve together, and all the positivity that came from our relationship.
“My focus has been and continues to be to work on my independent business projects, to document my life as a business owner, to inspire, and live with a view to the present and to the future.
“I want it to be known that I have never threatened Tahlia, and while we are still working out the details of the split of our business together, I wish her the best and all of the success in her own independent endeavours.
“I have not been publicly vocal about our dispute, but I know that Tahlia has been and while it isn’t the way I had hoped for things to go, she is free to make her own statements so long as what she is saying is true.
“While it is fair to say that we are in a dispute regarding our former business ventures together, my aim is to ensure that whatever resolution we reach, is fair and reasonable, and each of us receives what is appropriate.
“I do not want to see Tahlia receive one dollar less than what she is rightfully owed, but it is important that in going through this dispute process, that the distribution is fair, and that both of our rights and interests are taken into consideration.
“A lot of the information that is out there right now about what is going on between us is false or one sided.
“I just want to set the record straight that I am not trying to be oppressive, am not preventing Tahlia from accessing records she has always had access to, was not and am not threatening her, and that the negotiations and dispute between us is still ongoing and we both have lawyers that are managing that for us.
“I intend to comply with whatever court processes are in place, to be as reasonable and commercial as possible, and to get this dispute resolved as soon as possible so we can both move on with our lives.”
Ms Skaines was not available for comment.
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