Instagram bikie Ben Geppert’s new life after gangster past as he vows to get his tattoos removed 

A heavily tattooed bikie who achieved notoriety after a shocking daylight brawl in a KFC carpark has turned his life around and rejected his gangster past.

He has vowed to have his garish tattoos removed and live a normal life once he’s freed from prison. 

Ben Geppert, a convicted criminal and former member of both the Hells Angels and the Finks, once luridly documented his colourful lifestyle on his ‘I am the Notorious BG’ Instagram handle.

Geppert, 31, started his own clothing line and was instantly recognisable on the streets of the Gold Coast because of his distinctive tattoos.

His tatts include the word ‘vendetta’ above one eye, an anarchist ‘A’ symbol, guns, ghouls, and even his name.

But now he is waiting to resume his family life with a new partner who says neither she nor Geppert have any interest in his former lifestyle.

Geppert had gained notoriety for joining forces with a heavily tattooed woman, Allaina Vader, with both falling foul of the law while in each other’s company.

Ms Vader, who had previous dated other bikies, regularly posted their exploits on Instagram, including a public slanging match with her cousin, Rikki Louise Sutton who was at the time dating a rival ex-Bandido, Brett ‘Kaos’ Peechey.

The tempestuous relationship with Vader blew up when the pair were removed by police escort off Hamilton Island in 2018, while celebrating Geppert’s birthday, and later issued with infringement notices for threatening behaviour in or near licensed premises.

Ben Geppert parted ways with Ms Vader, but was forced to take to Instagram in 2019 to explain the relationship was by then long over. 

Now Geppert’s new partner, Claudia McCallum, has broken her silence to say he hadn’t seen that woman for ‘for five years’. 

He was also determined to move on from the ‘brain snap’ that recently saw him back in jail, and build ‘a new, positive future’. 

The former Hells Angels bikie who became famous for his exploits on Instagram and a fight in a KFC car park has turned his life around and rejected his gangster past say 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 their second child says he has put his gangster past behind him and is a family man

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That ‘brain snap’ was his decision in January to rip off his satellite tracking anklet, swim across a Gold Coast creek, and try to commandeer a motorised dinghy  to escape police.

He is hopeful he’ll be released from jail soon.

Ms McCallum, the mother of Geppert’s seven-month-old baby girl and 12 weeks pregnant with the next child, said Geppert was a ‘gentle soul’ at heart.

‘We’ve obviously moved on from the lifestyle. I’m not into that kind of scene. I’ve definitely pulled him out of it in the best possible way,’ Ms McCallum told Daily Mail Australia.

‘He’s a different person. He’s been working full time, it’s hard yakka, when he’s finished work he’s just knackered and he comes home to a family lifestyle.

‘We barely even drink.

Mental health and disability sector worker Claudia McCallum (pictured with Ben Geppert and their now seven-month-old daughter) said the 31-year-old has left behind his gangster past and will get his distinctive tattoos lasered off

Ms McCallum (above with  Ben Geppert during her pregnancy) says the 31-year-old has been working as a concreter and will return to his job when he’s out of jail and their new healthy family life 

‘He cooks dinner, loves cooking … steak and veg, stir fries, we eat very cleanly. It’s a pleasant life. 

‘We do swimming lessons always at the beach every weekend, we do a lot of free things to save money.

‘We’ve got our heads set on a few goals, saving and buying a house at the end of next year.’

HOPES TO BE OUT OF JAIL FOR NEW BABY 

Claudia revealed that Geppert, who she met online, had been working as a concreting and pipe-laying on the Gold Coast, while she was working in the mental health and disability sector before taking time out to have their daughter last year.

They will find out from the next scan whether baby number two is a boy or a girl, and Ms McCallum is confident Geppert will be released ‘in a month or two’ to be there for the birth.

The 25-year-old says when she met Geppert and they became romantically involved she was ‘definitely aware of his past’ but ‘didn’t make any judgment on him because everyone goes through their difficulties’.

‘I’ve never really looked into that because I’m not interested and I don’t come from that.

Claudia McCallum said she and Ben Geppert met online and although she was aware of his past ‘I don’t stand for that kind of stuff as a person, and actually, neither does Ben any more’ 

Now aged 31, Geppert (above with Claudia) plans to get all his tattoos removed. They include the word ‘Vendetta’ above one eye, an anarchist ‘A’ symbol, guns, ghouls, and his own name

‘We’ve obviously moved on from that lifestyle.  He’s definitely off social media and doesn’t contact anyone that’s a bad influence.’

When Geppert had his ‘brain snap’ in January with the monitoring anklet and the escape across Tallebudgera Creek, and was placed back in custody, Ms McCallum was forced to confront some of his past.

She attended his court hearing last Friday, when Geppert’s lawyer acknowledged her client’s history, but said his reputation as the Instagram bikie was no longer the case. 

TROUBLED TEENAGE YEARS

In 2021, Geppert began his road to redemption with a video for the Queensland government’s OMCG Exit program in which he warned how gang life had ruined his life.

He opened up about being bullied at school because he was little, and how he stepped up as a teenager to work in the family business, but then got sidetracked into a life of crime. 

Geppert said his life entered a downward spiral after he began experimenting with cocaine. His bikie lifestyle has affected all of his relationships. 

‘That was him around the wrong people and doing the wrong things,’ Ms McCallum said, but adding that now Geppert ‘ knows that’s not the life to live’. 

‘I was p***ed off because his lawyer said ‘Instagram bikie’, because we don’t have that type of relationship.

‘We communicate every single day.  Even in jail he’s instantly recognisable. Mentally he’s doing the best he can.

‘It’s tough being away from family (but) he has support on the outside and stuff to look forward to. 

Ben Geppert hopes to leave behind one of his most regrettable moments, the May 2018 KFC fight in Robina, Queensland which his family and his partner Claudia is not him any more

‘We visit every single week. Us doing that is keeping him sane. It’s been very hard for me to adjust to him being away, but it’s not forever.’

Claudia said Geppert has been ‘physically training’ in a Brisbane jail to keep busy and was committed to committing programs when he made parole.

On Geppert’s release, Ms McCallum said he will see a psychologist about controlling his ‘triggers’ and have his tattoos removed. 

‘That’s the biggest thing we have been talking about. Booking in and getting every single one removed.’

She said each tattoo takes ten sessions of laser therapy to remove.

‘We don’t want people to think he hasn’t changed. I don’t stand for that kind of stuff as a person, and actually, neither does Ben any more. 

‘His family are very happy (with him) and very supportive.’

Last week, a magistrate wholly suspended Ben Geppert’s eight month sentence after he pleaded guilty to wilful damage to corrective services property, being unlawfully at large, and attempting unlawful use of a vessel. 

The Parole Board Queensland will consider the release of Ben Geppert over the coming weeks.