Australian war crimes trial defendant partners with gym brand that sold 'war crimes' drink

Ben Roberts-Smith, the Australian soldier awaiting trial on war crimes charges, has partnered with a gym supplement company that recently sold a pre-workout drink called 'war crimes.' The collaboration links Roberts-Smith, who is accused of killing three Afghan men, to Zero Limits supplements, a brand co-owned by right-wing podcaster Chris Katelaris.

Roberts-Smith launched his own apparel line, Epic 1 Two, in recent months. The brand sells t-shirts and gym wear. In October, Roberts-Smith appeared in a social media video featuring both his clothing line and Zero Limits. The video showed Roberts-Smith, Katelaris, and others working out in a gym. On-screen text identified the two brands as collaborators. Both companies posted the video to their Instagram accounts.

The connection drew attention because Zero Limits promoted a specific product titled 'war crimes' earlier in the year. The energy supplement came in a flavor described as 'kill or capture cola.' The packaging displayed a graphic of a hooded person seated in a chair. A tall figure wearing a balaclava and military-style clothing stood nearby. An Australian flag hung on the wall in the background image.

Katelaris promoted the drink in a video posted on 26 July. He held a tub of the supplement at a gym and spoke to the camera. 'You wanna drink out of a prosthetic leg? You wanna re-enact a Sparta kick? You wanna execute your workout?' Katelaris said. 'War crimes, it’s the pre-workout for you.'

Zero Limits describes itself as veteran owned and operated. The company does not currently list the 'war crimes' product on its website. Roberts-Smith has not been filmed using that specific item. However, he has promoted another pre-workout drink from the same brand. He posted an Instagram story showing himself drinking the beverage. He called the brand a 'massive shout out' and urged followers to visit their website. Last week, Roberts-Smith appeared on the Zero Limits podcast, which is hosted by another founder of the company.

Roberts-Smith was arrested in April. The Australian Federal Police charged him with five counts of war crime, including murder. The charges relate to three incidents that occurred during his service in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2012. He has denied all allegations. 'As I’ve always maintained: I categorically deny all of these allegations … I will be taking this opportunity to finally clear my name,' Roberts-Smith said in a statement after his arrest.

AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett explained in April that the three incidents allegedly involved Afghan nationals being shot dead. The killings were committed by Roberts-Smith or a subordinate under his command while he was present. A federal court previously found Roberts-Smith liable in a civil defamation suit. The court used the lower standard of the balance of probabilities. It found he kicked an unarmed Afghan man, Ali Jan, in the chest. Jan fell backward over a cliff. Roberts-Smith then ordered another soldier to shoot Jan.

Media reports have also accused Roberts-Smith of shooting an unarmed prisoner who had a prosthetic leg. Soldiers reportedly used the leg as a drinking vessel afterward. Roberts-Smith was previously part of the Australian Special Air Service Regiment, or SAS.

Zero Limits, Katelaris, and Roberts-Smith were contacted for comment regarding the timing of the partnership. In a statement through a lawyer, Zero Limits did not answer specific questions about the product's name. The company said, 'The products are great, make sure you check them out.' Katelaris also responded through the same lawyer. He said, 'If you thought this was wild, wait until next week’s campaign drops.'

Katelaris lists himself as a co-owner of the supplements brand in his Instagram bio. He also sells merchandise under his own name that supports Roberts-Smith. The items include t-shirts, hats, hoodies, and stubby coolers. The shirts bear the phrase 'I stand with BRS.' The acronym BRS refers to Roberts-Smith.