Slain actor’s mum faces shock claims
THE mother of a Gold Coast stuntman shot dead on the set of a Bliss N Eso film clip in Brisbane allegedly tried to claim money from a trust fund set up for her granddaughter, a court has been told.
Maria “Riah” Nieve Ofner’s son, popular Burleigh Heads stuntman and Australian Ninja Warrior competitor Johann Ofner, 28, died after he was fatally shot in the chest by a prop gun on the set of a Bliss N Eso music video in Brisbane in January last year.
The coronial investigation into Mr Ofner’s death is not yet finalised.
Mr Ofner was a devoted dad to his daughter Kyarni Le Lani, who turned nine last week. Kyarni’s mother, Samaya Sailor, Mr Ofner’s partner Kati Garnett, his brothers and his AMPM fitness friends and extended community have rallied to support his daughter since his death.
The public helped raise thousands of dollars from Go Fund Me pages and community events to help cover his funeral expenses and establish a trust fund for Kyarni.
In an affidavit witnessed by solicitor and former Gold Coast Mayor Lex Bell and lodged with QCAT on July 8 this year as part of a tenancy dispute, Ms Ofner’s former landlord Robert McClelland outlines numerous explosive claims including:
● Ms Ofner sought and received $20,000 from a Go Fund Me fundraising page to help pay for her son’s funeral but “refused to pay for the funeral (it remains outstanding) but kept the money”.
● Her granddaughter “allegedly refuses to talk to Ofner” and her other two sons “refuse to deal with her”.
● Ms Ofner set up a fundraising page to help pay for “breast cancer surgery” that was a cosmetic procedure.
● Ms Ofner threatened, harassed and demanded money from Mr Ofner’s AMPM Fitness colleagues in relation to a mural on a wall at its Miami gym painted as a tribute to Mr Ofner.
● Neighbours believed Ms Ofner was “cooking and selling drugs” at the property she leased from Mr McClelland.
The Bulletin contacted Ms Ofner about the allegations in Mr McClelland’s affidavit.
Ms Ofner said none of the claims were true. “Everything he says there is not right.”
Mr McClelland, a semi-retired businessman from Bundall, said in the affidavit he and his wife first met Ms Ofner in 2014 via “a church group” when she began working for them as a cleaner.
When the couple became concerned after they “had not heard from her over the 2016-17 break”, they contacted Ms Ofner.
“She was upset and told us that her son Johann Ofner was just shot and killed in January, her latest FIFO partner had ‘disappeared’ and she ‘needed’ to move from her current rental unit as it held ‘bad’ memories,” Mr McClelland said in his affidavit.
Mr McClelland said he spent $15,000 to convert a shop on Thomas Drive, Chevron Island, into an apartment for Ms Ofner to rent in May 2017.
Not long after, Mr McClelland said Ms Ofner wanted legal advice regarding her son’s death and a possible claim on his estate so Mr McClelland referred her pro bono to his solicitor, former mayor Lex Bell, who declined to act on her behalf.
An application to QCAT by Ms Ofner on July 25 to have Mr McClelland’s statement suppressed was denied.
“Rather than be grateful for accommodation and assistance there has been acute offence orchestrated by Ofner for reasons that are patently false, and now known to be various deliberate attempts to ‘gain benefit by false pretence/s’,” Mr McClelland said in the statement.
Mr McClelland said “persons unknown” had turned up at the property after Ms Ofner moved out “seeking illicit good(s)”.
“I was told Ofner’s car is considered to be stolen from her last FIFO boyfriend as she transferred his car to her illegally when he was away”.
Mr McClelland said in the statement the allegations it contained had been passed on to state and federal police, Centrelink’s fraud department and the Australian Taxation Office.
Mr McClelland’s solicitor, Mr Bell, filed an application with QCAT on March 23 for an order instructing Ms Ofner to vacate the Thomas Drive property following numerous alleged breaches of her lease. Ms Ofner left on April 13.
Mr McClelland alleges Ms Ofner owes him $1030 in rent and $647 for electricity.
The matter is before QCAT Brisbane after Mr McClelland appealed a QCAT Southport ruling awarding Ms Ofner a bond refund of $1000.