Australian influencer Bianca Cheah has pleaded not guilty to two charges of fraud in an attempt to gain more than $1 million.

Cheah returned to Australia in 2021 when she was charged with publishing false or misleading material to obtain an advantage. The charges are linked to a false statement she allegedly provided for an entity known as Sporteluxe Pty Ltd, which she shared with her husband, American Simon Chalmers, from who she is separated. As per Daily Telegraph, the court document allegedly say that the model posted “with the intention of obtaining a financial advantage, to wit, $1,066,649.73.

The influencer was reportedly charged with the same offence for an amount of $49,986.63. News.com.au reports that Cheah was originally charged in January, and plead not guilty to the charges this week.

Cheah is 40-years-old, has 1.2 million followers and her brand predominately features wellness-related posts. She has not posted on social media in nearly a year. The influencer claimed bankruptcy in Australia in January 2021.

Shortly before her arrest, Cheah took to social media to tell her followers she was taking a step back from posting to focus on her family.

“Why am I not posting on Instagram as much? To answer your question … at this time in my life, I’ve just chosen to be more present with my darling Olly,” she wrote.

“I know this is a finite period in my life and I am choosing to embrace it. I am choosing to find joy in my motherhood journey. I know my little Oliver needs me now in a way he won’t ever again.

“And I don’t want to miss out on all the beautiful moments right here in front of my very eyes. The ones that many have to sadly miss, and the ones that I never want to take for granted,” she said at the time.

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