Instagram bikie Ben Geppert’s new life after gangster past as he vows to remove tattoos
A heavily tattooed bikie who rose to notoriety after a shocking daylight brawl in a KFC parking lot turned her life around and shunned her gangster past.
He has vowed to remove his conspicuous tattoos and live a normal life once he is released from prison.
Ben Geppert, a convicted felon and former member of the Hells Angels and Finks, once luridly documented his colorful lifestyle on his ‘I am the Notorious BG’ Instagram account.
Geppert, 31, started his own clothing line and was instantly recognizable on the streets of the Gold Coast due to his distinctive tattoos.
His tattoos include the word ‘vendetta’ over one eye, an anarchist ‘A’ symbol, weapons, demons and even his name.
But now she is waiting to resume her family life with a new partner who says that neither she nor Geppert have any interest in their old lifestyle.
Geppert had gained notoriety for joining forces with a heavily tattooed woman, Allaina Vader, both of whom broke the law while in each other’s company.
Ms. Vader, who had dated other bikies before, regularly posted her exploits on Instagram, including a public argument with her cousin, Rikki Louise Sutton, who at the time was dating a rival ex-Bandit, Brett ‘Kaos’ Peechey. .
The tempestuous relationship with Vader erupted when the pair were taken by police escort from Hamilton Island in 2018 while celebrating Geppert’s birthday, and violation notices were later issued for threatening behavior on or near licensed premises.
Ben Geppert split from Ms. Vader but was forced to take to Instagram in 2019 to explain that the relationship was over.
Now Geppert’s new partner, Claudia McCallum, has broken her silence to say that she had not seen that woman for “five years.”
He was also determined to overcome the ‘brain snap’ that recently landed him in jail and build ‘a new and positive future’.
The former Hells Angels cyclist who became famous for his Instagram exploits and a brawl in a KFC parking lot has turned his life around and rejected his gangster past, says his new partner Claudia McCallum (above with Ben Geppert) and his family.
Ben Geppert is back in jail after a ‘brain snap; but his partner Claudia McCallum (above, the couple together) who is expecting his second child says he has put his gangster past behind him and is a family man.
That “brain snap” was his decision in January to rip off his satellite-tracking anklet, swim across a Gold Coast stream and attempt to hijack a motorized boat to escape police.
He hopes to get out of jail soon.
Ms McCallum, the mother of Geppert’s seven-month-old daughter and 12 weeks pregnant with their next child, said Geppert was a “gentle soul” at heart.
“Obviously we have moved away from the lifestyle. I’m not in that kind of scene. I definitely pulled it off in the best possible way,” Ms McCallum told Daily Mail Australia.
He is a different person. He’s been working full time, it’s hard yakka, when he’s done with work, he’s just knackered and comes home to a family lifestyle.
We barely drink.
Disability and mental health worker Claudia McCallum (pictured with Ben Geppert and their now seven-month-old daughter) said the 31-year-old has put his gangster past behind him and will remove his tattoos laser tags.
Ms McCallum (above with Ben Geppert during her pregnancy) says the 31-year-old has been working as a concrete mixer and will return to his job when he is released from prison and has a healthy new family life.
“She cooks dinner, she loves to cook…steak and vegetables, stir-fry, we eat very clean. It’s a nice life.
‘We always do swimming lessons on the beach every weekend, we do a lot of things for free to save money.
“We have our heads set on some goals, save up and buy a house by the end of next year.”
EXPECTS TO GET OUT OF JAIL FOR NEW BABY
Claudia revealed that Geppert, whom she met online, had been working as a concrete mixer and pipelayer on the Gold Coast, while she worked in the mental health and disability sector before taking a break to have her daughter last year.
From the next scan, they will find out if baby number two is a boy or a girl, and Mrs McCallum is confident Geppert will be discharged “in a month or two” to be there for the birth.
The 25-year-old says that when she met Geppert and they became romantically involved, she was “definitely aware of his past” but “didn’t judge him because everyone goes through their struggles.”
“I’ve never really looked into that because I’m not interested and I’m not coming from that.
Claudia McCallum said that she and Ben Geppert met online, and although she was aware of his past, “I don’t accept that kind of thing as a person, and in fact, neither does Ben anymore.”
Now 31, Geppert (above with Claudia) plans to remove all of his tattoos. They include the word ‘Vendetta’ over an eye, an anarchist ‘A’ symbol, weapons, demons and his own name.
‘Obviously we’ve outgrown that lifestyle. She’s definitely off social media and doesn’t contact anyone who’s a bad influence.”
When Geppert had his ‘brain snap’ in January with the monitoring anklet and escape via Tallebudgera Creek, and was taken back into custody, Ms McCallum was forced to confront part of her past.
She attended her court hearing last Friday, when Geppert’s lawyer acknowledged his client’s record, but said her reputation as the Instagram bikie was no longer the case.
TROUBLE TEENAGE YEARS
In 2021, Geppert began his path to redemption with a video for the Queensland government’s OMCG Exit program in which he realized how gang life had ruined his life.
He talked about being bullied at school because he was little, and how his father’s death from a heart attack saw him step up and work in the family business, but then veer off into a life of crime.
Geppert said his life went into a downward spiral after he began experimenting with cocaine. His cycling lifestyle has affected all of his relationships.
“That was him with the wrong people and doing the wrong things,” McCallum said, but added that Geppert now “knows that this is not the life to live.”
“He was angry that his lawyer said ‘Instagram bikie’, because we don’t have that kind of relationship.
‘We communicate every day. Even in jail he is instantly recognizable. He is mentally doing the best he can.
“It’s hard being away from family (but) you have support abroad and things to look forward to.”
Ben Geppert hopes to put one of his most regrettable moments behind him, the May 2018 KFC fight in Robina, Queensland, in which his family and partner Claudia are no longer him.
‘We visit every week. By doing that we keep him sane. It’s been very difficult for me to adjust to his absence, but it won’t be forever.
Claudia said Geppert has been “physically training” in a Brisbane jail to keep busy and vowed to commit to the programs when he was released on parole.
On Geppert’s release, Ms McCallum said she will see a psychologist to manage her ‘triggers’ and have her tattoos removed.
‘That’s the most important thing we’ve been talking about. Reserve and have each and every one removed.
She said that each tattoo requires ten sessions of laser therapy to remove it.
We don’t want people to think that it hasn’t changed. I can’t stand that kind of thing as a person, and in fact, Ben never does either.
“His family is very happy (with him) and very supportive of him.”
Last week, a magistrate fully suspended Ben Geppert’s eight-month sentence after he pleaded guilty to willful damage to corrective services property, being unlawfully at liberty and unlawfully attempting to use a vessel.
The Queensland Parole Board will consider Ben Geppert’s release in the coming weeks.