Former Bachelor contestant Georgia Tripos fronts court on cocaine charges
A FORMER Bachelor contestant has faced court charged with trafficking cocaine after she was allegedly found with thousands of dollars in her car and her Melbourne home.
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FORMER The Bachelor contestant Georgia Tripos has confessed to being a drug dealer.
The reality television star, who caused a stir on the series’ third season while vying for Richie Strahan’s heart, pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.
Tripos, 26, made the plea after being committed to stand trial in the County Court.
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But the brunette beauty plans to fight other drugs charges she is facing relating to possession, dealing with proceeds of crime, and trafficking a commercial quantity of ethylpentylone — pleading not guilty to those alleged offences.
The court heard she was arrested in March last year following an undercover police sting.
Police launched an investigation after uncovering advertisements purporting to sell “party needs” including “White VIP for $350” on Craigslist a month earlier.
Senior Constable Anders Ayoub told the court police found $3500 in a safe at Tripos’ Balwyn North home, and a search of her car unravelled a further $3136.
But her lawyer Damien Shields argued the amount was “not a king’s ransom” and could have been earned legitimately.
“If it was, for example, James Packer’s house, that would be small change,” Mr Shields said.
But his example didn’t resonate with the officer, who said: “I don’t know the reference.”
“He is a billionaire,” Mr Shields quipped.
Sen-Constable Ayoub, from the witness box, said they suspect it is proceeds of crime as Tripos could not explain where the money came from when asked by police.
Text messages between Tripos and co-accused Kristiana Karakostas also refer to “M”, a term police suspect is a reference to cocaine, and large sums of money, the court heard.
Ms Karakostas, who was also in court, pleaded not guilty.
An outspoken Ms Tripos did not leave The Bachelor quietly when Mr Strahan failed to give her a rose, hitting out at the producers and calling other contestants “f------ skanks”.
She and Ms Karakostas, both on bail, will appear at the County Court for a directions hearing on Monday.