Real-life drama behind the scenes of Aquamamma

Ridiculously photogenic,dressed in designer labels,multimillion-dollar homes in Byron Bay and Sydney,private jets and partying in the world’s most exclusive destinations,self-styled wellness gurusEmma Gibson and her partnerRobert Bates looked like they’d stepped off their own luxe reality TV series when they debuted on the 2020AFR Rich List with an estimated combined fortune of $145 million.

Indeed,the now-estranged couple would have no shortage of drama to film given the events of recent months.

Their relationship demise comes as theAustralian Financial Review revealed this weekGibson had resigned as CEO of wellness start-up Aquamamma, the much-hyped brainchild of her now former lover,leaving behind millions of dollars of unpaid invoices owed by the company and a staff exodus amid claims of non-payment of superannuation and tax.

“We are working hard to resolve operational issues with our banking partners caused by factors out of our control,” Bates told PS yesterday.

“Our company has entered into a ‘super guarantee’ for staff entitlements and has a payment plan with the ATO.”

Roberts,who declined to comment further,is currently overseas but plans to return to Sydney next week.

Meanwhile,disgruntled customers continue to bombard Aquamamma’s social media feeds,fuming over lost orders and no refunds,as mountains of the miracle powder supplement reportedly sit unclaimed in ports gathering demurrage and detention fees.

But it was only three years ago the couple,with pockets apparently lined from the proceeds of their start-up Aquamamma powder supplements for pregnant women,were welcomed into the fold of Australia’s super-rich with open arms.

Bates,42,was often spotted driving his $300,000 Mercedes-Benz SUV around the Wategos Beach enclave of millionaires. A regular on the Sydney and Byron Bay social scene for years,he was Sydney publicity mavenRoxy Jacenko’s school formal date decades ago.

Described by former friends as espousing a carefully cultivated aura of a high-flying svengali,Bates was well-known for lavishing his girlfriends with expensive gifts,racking up expensive lunch bills at his neighbourhood watering hole,the swanky Rae’s at Wategos Beach,where he was known to order multiple bottles of Krug champagne and giant tubs of caviar. Potential investors,some of whom handed over hundreds of thousands of dollars,were hooked.

PS spotted them among the wealthy guests dressed in all-white at the exclusive Paspaley jewellery party in 2019 at the luxurious Qualia resort on Hamilton Island,where they sipped vintage champagne and fondled million-dollar pearl necklaces,festooned in rubies,diamonds and emeralds.

But friends told PS it all proved too much for mother-of-two Gibson,35,the daughter of Hostplus superannuation board directorDavid Gibson. Their relationship ended in March. Last October she paid more than $4 million for a terrace house in Paddington where she now resides with her young children from a previous marriage.

Bates,a former advertising executive,is understood to be renting in Bondi.

It’s all a far cry from when Bates sat in an obstetrician’s office with the mother of his first child over a decade ago trying to make out the shape of their unborn child on the ultrasound monitor as he dreamt up a business opportunity.

Bates went into business with the obstetrician,Rob Buist,to create a hydration supplement for pregnant women.

Gibson became the public face of the product and has so far borne the brunt of the latest fallout.

Bates met Gibson in Hong Kong six years ago when she was running the VistaJet private aviation business and Bates was a regular customer. She started working for his 7 Trinity Biotech business in Sydney,the Singapore-registered parent company of Aquamamma,which also supplies a host of other wellness products.

One of those products is another powder supplement called Aurum+ which supposedly treats mental health conditions. PS has learned that a string of wealthy investors,including Bates’ former Wategos neighbours,are now pursuing him for the return of hundreds of thousands of dollars,one threatening legal action before getting his investment back.

Bates declined to comment on “confidential” investor relationships.

Bates told theAFR when the couple was inducted into the rich list about a “little side bet” on the success of Aurum+ and Aquamamma he had with Gibson:“First one to $1 billion valuation pays for the next holiday.”

Gibson later clarified the loser had to buy a case of their favourite wine,Burgundy’s La Tache.

PS found the wine selling online yesterday for $12,650 ... a bottle.

Not everyone needs good Neighbours

Craig McLachlan was reportedly “snubbed” and fans wondered why Kylie Minogue andJason Donovan barely uttered a word in theNeighbours finale on Thursday night. But where was ’90s bombshellKimberley Davies,without question one of the biggest stars in the series?

PS hears Davies has politely declined offers to partake in theNeighbours nostalgia,more interested in focusing on her Melbourne decorating business and raising her family with her model-turned-doctor husbandJason Harvey.

Pop star in disguise

WhileLiam Gallagher bemoaned his missing half-star inHerald reviewerGeorge Palathingal’sthree-and-a-half star rating of his Sydney concert last Saturday,he might want to make himself a bit better known to our city’s band of paparazzi.

Indeed,Gallagher wasn’t even recognised by one snapper who passed the Oasis frontman outside the Park Hyatt last weekend. Ironically,the “pap” wasn’t there for the ’90s pop star,but rather to capture a shot of Kim Kardashian’s boyfriendPete Davidson,who happened to be staying in the same hotel as Gallagher while in Australia shooting a film.

Aussies fly flag Europe

Today co-hostKarl Stefanovic,wifeJasmine and baby daughterHarper were making the most ofJames Packer’s $250 million superyacht as it set anchor on the Cote d’Azur on their family Euro holiday this week.

Over in Corsica,it was the Lowes heiressLinda Penn and her family,including social fixture sonJosh,who took a very un-discount fashion approach to deck wear aboard their floating palace this week,the entire extended family wearing what appeared to be a full suite of Dolce&Gabbana resort wear.

While not quite on the same scale,celebrity accountantAnthony Bell’snew boat was chartered by a posse of Aussies in Greeceincluding Bell’s good mate and publican Peter Calligerosand his wife,property heiressSacha Rose,who got busy testing out the new Ghost III,which PS has recently reported on.

Among the lively gang from Sydney living it up were Grant “Mr Fixit”Vandenberg being fed grapes by his wifeLisa in between dancing on chairs,Terry Biviano and hubby,footy greatAnthony Minichiello,Bell’s long-time gal pal and veteran bikini model Laura Csortan and television personality Larry Emdur (wearing a buff torso print on his ‘muscle’ with great effect) with his wifeSylvie.

Kidding on the catwalk

Former Sydney runway model,MasterChef contestant and red carpet fixtureMichelle Walsh swears she was only kidding when she joked on Facebook about a return to the catwalk as one of masked models who walked withNicole Kidman andKim Kardashian in the Balenciaga show in Paris a few weeks back.

But at least one hapless gossip blogger is reporting it as fact. “It’s taken on a life of its own,” Walsh told PS this week. “I better buy a bloody mask!”

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