A controversial activist who claimed to represent the family of the 95-year-old great-grandmother who was tasered by police at a care home has revealed a strange business connection with Roxy Jacenko’s husband.
Aspiring politician Andrew Thaler said he co-founded the bitcoin mining company Firmus Grid with Oliver Curtis, who is married to the public relations expert.
The scrap and solar farm owner, who has a history of litigation and openly admits to running afoul of the police, laughed at every confession he and Curtis had encountered behind bars.
Curtis previously served a year in a NSW prison for insider trading.
“We met in Frankfurt at the World Digital Mining Summit in 2019,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
“I was there to pitch an idea for bitcoin mining, which does grid stabilization and renewable energy.”
Oliver Curtis and Andrew Thaler attend the 2019 World Digital Mining summit (pictured)
Oliver Curtis (pictured) made a much-anticipated return to the financial industry with his wife Roxy – five years after being jailed for insider trading
The two-day summit provided industry insights, top-notch networking and cryptocurrency knowledge sharing.
“I met billionaires“I met all nationalities, I dined with some super rich people, and Ollie thought it was a good idea, so when we got back to Australia we did the due diligence and started a business,” he said.
Mr Thaler left the company shortly after launch over Covid vaccination disagreements and animosity with the directors, but says he and Curtis have re-established their once friendly working relationship.
“We kissed a little bit and made up. Ollie’s a great guy,’ he said.
‘He visited my house near Cooma, came to dinner all the time and he showed me a great time when I came to Sydney. He took me to a bar at the Margarita Bar in Darling Harbor with some real heavy hitters.”
Clare Nowland died just days after being tasered in her nursing home
When Curtis was convicted of insider trading in 2016, he was serving his prison sentence at Cooma Correctional Center, the town that happens to be next door to Mr. Thaler.
“Andrew served as an early stage consultant with several others for about 12 months about three years ago,” Curtis confirmed.
“He no longer advises Firmus in any capacity.”
Mr Thaler has sparked controversy in recent weeks by claiming he was the spokesman for Clare Nowland’s family.
The family has angrily denied that he speaks on their behalf or has anything to do with them.
In news that horrified Australia, the 100 lb (43 kg) great-grandmother, who was just 5 feet 8 inches (157 cm) tall and suffered from dementia, was tasered by police at her nursing home.
She died several days later, while Senior Constable Kristian White was charged with the incident.
In the minutes following her death, tensions erupted at Cooma Hospital, with grieving family members facing off against Mr. Thaler in the darkness of the facility’s parking lot.
Mr Thaler was involved in two confrontations ‘with members of Clare’s family’ when he broadcast a video report on Facebook about the allegations that evening.
It turned out that Mrs. Nowland had died just after 7pm and distraught relatives began pouring out of the hospital.
“I was updating live for the hospital on the news of the officer who tasered Clare, who was charged, and two incidents occurred involving members of Clare’s family,” Mr Thaler said.
Tensions erupted at Cooma Hospital in the minutes following the death of Tasered grandmother Clare Nowland, with grieving relatives facing Mr Thaler (pictured) in the car park
“Ironically, Clare sadly died in hospital during the broadcast.
‘I understand the pressure some or even many members of Clare’s family were under.
“The accusations that I would stalk the family are simply not true. Our community is under pressure… people want the truth, many want to speak up.”
Mr. Thaler has provided updates on Ms. Nowland since the Tasering incident from some members of her family with whom he is in close contact.
Other family members were put in touch with the Seven and Nine television networks to negotiate deals for the Spotlight and 60 Minutes programs, with the latter reportedly contracted.
Mr White has been charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, assault resulting in actual bodily harm and common assault. He will appear in court in July.
