Sam Wood’s transformation from The Bachelor favourite to fitness millionaire has been overshadowed by angry business partners, legal battles, tax troubles and allegations that he copied competitors’ recipes.
The former reality television star is currently being held in a Queensland jail while awaiting trial over domestic violence allegations involving his wife, Snezana. Meanwhile, fresh details are shedding light on the disputes that followed the growth of his health and fitness empire.
Wood sold his 28 by Sam Wood platform to Melbourne billionaire Dennis Bastas in 2022. The business was valued at more than $70 million, with Wood reportedly walking away from the deal with $15 million.
However, court records and past controversies suggest the road to that lucrative exit was considerably more complicated than it initially appeared.
Court documents obtained by Daily Mail detail one particularly bitter dispute with Loup, the company that helped launch Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth’s Centr fitness platform. The commercial partnership between Loup and Wood broke down in September 2016.
At the heart of the disagreement were allegations that Loup, which was then known as The Health Consultancy, wanted to expand the 28 platform by bringing in other influencers and celebrities.
Sources who spoke to The Age’s Fiona Byrne said Wood insisted he remain the sole public face of the brand.
After about eight months of negotiations, the two parties agreed to go their separate ways.
Sam Wood and his wife Snezana pictured in 2018, when he launched his 28 app
Fitness influencers Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw were reportedly disappointed after learning Wood had copied one of their recipes
What began as an amicable separation soon descended into a bitter legal battle.
Wood took Loup to the County Court of Victoria, alleging the company had failed to properly oversee posts in a Facebook group, used its customer database to promote influencer Tiffiny Hall’s competing TiffXO program and refused to provide exercise videos free of legal restrictions. He also claimed Loup attempted to charge him $50,000 for the assets.
The documents indicated Wood was also frustrated that Loup continued using his name and referring to his “crew” after he had left the business.
Loup rejected all of the allegations and launched a counterclaim. The company said Wood paid $425,000 when the partnership ended but failed to make four subsequent monthly payments of $100,000, leaving an alleged shortfall of $400,000.
Under the original agreement, Loup was tasked with capitalising on Wood’s profile from The Bachelor, negotiating with Channel 10 to relax commercial restrictions on his name and developing the online training venture.
Wood was to retain a 60 per cent share of the business, while Loup would own the remaining 40 per cent.
Wood argued he was not required to pay the outstanding money because of what he alleged were Loup’s contractual breaches.
The dispute was eventually resolved out of court. However, one source told Byrne the settlement was “less than satisfactory” for Loup.
Sam and Snezana Wood pictured in 2018, before the couple’s lives became far more complicated
The two parties no longer maintain an ongoing relationship.
It was not the only legal war Wood has been embroiled in.
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.
The men said they began work in July 2016 building the website, app and backend while Wood remained the public face.
But by November 2017, the partnership had collapsed.
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.
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.
He dismissed their use of the word ‘partner’ on business cards as purely ‘colloquial’.
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’.
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.
CONTINUE READING: Rebel Force Opposed to Putin Secures Second Village in Russia Within Two Days Following Declaration to Advance Towards Moscow – NewsFinale
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.
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.
Leaked emails to the Telegraph also revealed staff had been trawling through Michelle Bridges’ 12WBT site for ideas.
Bridges had risen to fame as a tough-love trainer on The Biggest Loser in 2007 before appearing in various reality television 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.’
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.’
Wood responded that his nutritionist and chef created the version after members requested it, having noticed KIC’s earlier 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.
Moving forward to November last year, Wood was embroiled in a tax evasion 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.
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.
In February, with the matter set to land back in court, Wood claimed the ‘majority’ of the tax bill had been paid.
‘My lawyer has been in correspondence with the ATO regularly regarding the final payment being made,’ Wood told the publication.
Just days ago, it was revealed Wood planned to sell the couple’s multimillion-dollar Brighton home.
The Woods bought the home for $7.15million in an off-market deal in September last year.
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
On Friday, it was revealed the couple could be set to lose more than $1million on it after listing the Brighton mansion for less than they paid for it.
The Hanby St home appeared online with a $6.5million-$7.15million asking price.
The five-bedroom house features a pool, tennis court, and spa and is on a 1,290sqm block.
In 2025, the Woods sold their Elsternwick house after putting it on the market with $6.6million price expectations.
However, the five-bedroom residence changed hands for $6.125million.
As it stands, Wood has far more serious issues to contend with.
The 46-year-old was this week transferred from Brisbane Correctional Centre to nearby Wolston Correctional Centre.
Wolston is a high-security facility which accommodates male protection prisoners who cannot be kept in the general prison population because their crimes or profiles make them particularly vulnerable.
Among its current residents are schoolboy Daniel Morcombe’s killer Brett Peter Cowan, and Gerard Baden-Clay, the Brisbane real estate agent jailed for the premeditated murder of his wife, Allison.
Another of Wood’s new neighbours is former childcare worker Ashley Griffith, who is serving a minimum of 27 years in jail for more than 300 sex crimes against children, most of them girls aged between three and five.
Wood has been behind bars since October 3 when he was arrested at Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast over the alleged attack on his wife.