Updated October 5, 2026 — 7:04pm,first published October 5, 2026 — 9:58am
In 2015, Sam Wood was just another personal trainer working at a gym in Melbourne’s south-east. But after a stint on the third season of The Bachelor, his career quickly took off.
So much so, that years later he sold his online fitness business to a Melbourne billionaire for $71 million. The father of four also earned a $6 million windfall following the sale of his family home in Elsternwick in May, and recently bought a $7.1 million property in Brighton, and a $2.7 million Mount Martha pad.
Though the 46-year-old has shared much of his life on social media over the past 11 years, by Monday morning, commenting was turned off across all his social media accounts, and those linked to his wife, Snezana, and their four daughters.
Wood’s empire and fortune are built on the empowerment of women. But all of that is now in danger after he was charged with domestic violence offences in Queensland on Sunday.
While Wood remained behind bars, the couple both shared a statement that read: “This is a difficult time for all of us, we are working through this as a family and are co-operating with authorities.”
Appearing on reality TV as a single mother, Snezana was the first woman Wood met during The Bachelor. In countless interviews since, he has said he knew immediately that she was the one.
Snezana, who had not been in a relationship for five years, was living with her parents and studying for a science degree in Perth when her daughter Eve urged her to apply for the show. By 2017, she and Wood welcomed their daughter Willow, and in 2018 they married. Two more daughters, Charlie and Harper, followed.
Amid enlarging their family and finding fame, Wood expanded on his Brighton gym, The Woodshed, and launched his now highly popular workout and diet program, 28 by Sam Wood, in 2016.
Following huge sign-up numbers during COVID-19, the entrepreneur sold the company in 2022 to myDNA – a genomics group backed by Melbourne-based businessman and healthcare entrepreneur Dennis Bastas – for $71 million, with Wood staying on as the face of the company and retaining a minority stake in the business.
On Monday, a spokesperson for DBG Health, the parent company of myDNA, said the company “has zero tolerance for domestic violence” and announced Wood had been indefinitely stood down.
“While the matter is under investigation and before the court, Sam Wood is on indefinite leave from his duties. Our thoughts are with the family and anyone in the community affected by domestic violence.”
In statements shared across 28 Group’s social media platforms, acting chief executive Mark Watkins said: “We have all been shocked and saddened by the matters involving Sam Wood.”
Since news broke that the fitness entrepreneur had been accused by police of assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation in a domestic setting after they were called to an address in Noosa about 9pm on Saturday, Wood has lost thousands of social media followers.
Commenting was also restricted for profiles linked with his businesses, including the Woodshed Gym and 28 by Sam Wood.
Tania Monk, known online by the handle @fitafter40_faf, declared on Monday she would step away from her coaching role within the 28 brand in light of the allegations.
“For many years, I have worked incredibly hard to build a reputation based on trust, integrity and advocating for women,” Monk said in an Instagram post.
“Whether you train with me, follow me here, have been part of my gyms, or trusted me to support you through the 28 menopause program, you are part of a community I am incredibly proud to have built,” she said.
“My name, my reputation and what I stand for are my own. And I have a responsibility to protect them. For that reason, I will not continue professionally under the 28 by Sam Wood brand or attach my name to a program that remains associated with Sam.”
Tiffiny Hall, a personal trainer who also worked with 28 by Sam Wood, said she was “shocked and disturbed” by the charges against Wood.
In a social media post, she stressed her time with Wood’s company had ended even before the news broke, and said her thoughts were with victim-survivors of domestic and family violence.
On Monday, Wood’s lawyer, Matthew Cuskelly, said outside Maroochydore Magistrates Court that his client has vowed to fight the charges.
“My preliminary instructions are that the charges will be defended,” Cuskelly said.
The alleged victim cannot be publicly identified.
For years, it appeared Wood’s business empire was thriving. But in November 2025, it was revealed that he was being chased for more than $7 million in unpaid taxes by the Australian Taxation Office.
The deputy commissioner of taxation launched civil action in the County Court of Victoria in October 2025, seeking allegedly unpaid money for the tax periods ending June 30, 2022, June 30, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
An update on the court listing shows an agreement was recently reached between the parties and the case was dismissed without adjudication in September.
Now, there are questions about how Wood’s four-month-old business, Ollo For Women, will operate. Social media accounts linked with the medical weight-loss, nutrition and telehealth-focused platform targeting women over 40 were also deactivated on Monday.
In July, Wood told Jacqui Felgate on her Fascinated podcast that while he had sold the majority share of the 28 brand to get “some peace of mind for my family and my future”, the company still remained his “baby”.
“It’s like my fifth kid. I’d never want it to die, and I love it to bits,” Wood said.
He described Melbourne health and beauty billionaire Bastas as “a wonderful, wonderful guy”.
“He’s been a wonderful mentor to me. It’s kind of like having a big brother there if you need them, but he really doesn’t interfere,” Wood said.
“He’s a brilliant businessperson, one of the best, and you can go to him at any time with anything, but he gets that the magic is still treating it [28 brand] like a little start-up,” he said.
“So, I think we’ve now found that really good balance, and I’m as connected as I have been with the 28ers, I think, in a long, long time and things are going great.”
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Fiona Byrne is the CBD columnist for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.