What happened to Schapelle Corby ?

 

Years ago, in 2008 to be exact, I talked about Schapelle Corby. Schapelle is an Australian woman who was jailed in Bali,Indonesia for nine years after being accused of drug trafficking. Corby has publicly maintained that the drugs were planted in her bodyboard bag and that she did not know about them.

Corby was convicted in 2005 and sentenced to 20 years in jail. In May 2012, she was granted a five-year sentence reduction. Corby was released on parole on 10 February 2014 after serving nine years in prison. On 27 May 2017, she was deported and returned to Australia.

The case was really big in Australia; there were many calls to set Schapelle free or for her to be allowed to go back to her country. During this media frenzy, there were a few rumors accusing her whole family of being drug traffickers and dealers, dragging them into the controversy back at home.

While jailed, Schapelle suffered from mental health issues and needed medication to keep her healthy and sane. As you can imagine, Schapelle's situation also took a toll on her family. They had to keep paying for legal fees—probably for her safety—and her sister had to travel to Bali many times. Her sister ultimately established her life there while Schapelle was in jail, all to be there for her.

Once she went back to Australia, many reporters were waiting for her. She had to spend many weeks hiding because she first needed to deal with the past nine years spent in a jail in a different country. Corby settled on Queensland's Gold Coast, where she has kept a relatively low profile.

Because of Australian Proceeds of Crime laws, she was strictly prohibited from cashing in or profiting from any media arrangements regarding her conviction or time in prison. Australia's Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 features strict provisions called "literary proceeds orders." These laws ensure that a person cannot financially exploit their criminal notoriety.

Currently, Schapelle is single and has even shared publicly that she’s looking for love. Her most famous relationship was a long-term romance with Ben Panangian, an Indonesian surfer and paddleboard instructor she met back in 2006 while she was in Kerobokan Prison.

Since returning to Australia, Schapelle Corby has rebuilt a quieter life on Queensland's Gold Coast. While she is well known for creating and selling beach-inspired epoxy resin art clocks through Instagram, she has explained that it is a creative hobby rather than her main source of income, and she continues to work a regular day job. Corby has also returned briefly to public life through appearances on SAS Australia (2020) and Dancing with the Stars (2021). In 2019, she was required to forfeit earnings from the updated edition of her autobiography, My Story, under Australia's Proceeds of Crime Act. Today, one of her most consistent public contributions is encouraging Australians to donate blood, regularly sharing her own donations to the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood network and promoting the importance of giving blood to help others.

She co-wrote a book with Australian journalist Kathryn Bonella in 2006, and in 2019, they presented an updated version of the book. She keeps working on her life and letting people know that she is innocent because, according to her, she was wrongfully accused, nowadays she mainly keeps a quiet life.

Today, Schapelle Corby's story is no longer just about one of Australia's most controversial criminal cases. It is also a story of rebuilding a life after years of intense public scrutiny, finding normality, and quietly moving forward. Whether viewed with sympathy or skepticism, her journey continues to spark debate about justice, redemption, and the lasting impact of media attention.

Have you ever heard about this story? Did you believe her ?