Ben Roberts-Smith Launches New Brand Amidst War Crimes Charges and Upcoming Interview
Australia's most decorated soldier, facing war crimes allegations, unveils a commercial venture and prepares for his first major public interview since his arrest.
Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia's most decorated living soldier, has launched a new commercial brand, 'EPIC 1 TWO,' coinciding with the upcoming release of a two-hour media interview. This marks his first public statement since his arrest in April on five war crimes charges. The brand, named after his former radio callsign in Afghanistan, is intended to provide financial support for Roberts-Smith, who has stated he has struggled to find conventional employment and cover legal costs.
The interview, conducted by 2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham, is described by insiders as "gobsmacking," "confronting," and "highly emotional." It is set to air over two days this week on Sydney radio and will also be published on YouTube. Lawyers for both Fordham's station and Roberts-Smith were reportedly present during the recording to ensure the upcoming trial would not be prejudiced.
Roberts-Smith was arrested at Sydney Domestic Airport in April and charged with offenses related to alleged killings of unarmed Afghan men between 2009 and 2012. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintains his innocence. The interview is expected to cover the highs and lows of his military career, his arrest, and his time in custody.
In addition to the interview and brand launch, Roberts-Smith has made recent public appearances. On Monday, he joined mining magnate Gina Rinehart in Brisbane to open new housing for homeless veterans. The previous day, he attended the Australian War Memorial in Canberra to mark 25 years since Australia's deployment to Afghanistan, appearing with his partner Sarah Matulin after receiving court permission to travel under his bail conditions. He was photographed wearing his medals among other veterans at the service.
Roberts-Smith's legal challenges follow a defamation case he lost against Nine newspapers in July. In that civil case, a Federal Court judge found, on the balance of probabilities, that several allegations of Roberts-Smith's involvement in unlawful killings were substantially true. These findings were made under a lower standard of proof than applies in criminal proceedings.