Fake lawyer named as operator of euthanasia drug ring tied to charity on Gold Coast

A Gold Coast man identified as running a charity that purported to euthanize whales with drug cocktails has been named as the operator of an alleged euthanasia drug ring, according to authorities investigating the deaths of a number of people, including a man with quadriplegia. Police say the operation used the charity as a front to access and distribute life-ending medications. Three people have been charged in relation to the probe, with authorities noting that about 20 other deaths are being examined as part of the case.

Brett Daniel Taylor, 53, a Gold Coast business owner, did not appear at Southport Magistrates Court on the city’s Gold Coast on Thursday. During a brief court mention, Taylor’s solicitor, Billy Gee, did not apply for bail and sought an adjournment. “We have a conference booked with Mr Taylor next week on Thursday,” Mr Gee said. Taylor is charged with aiding in the suicide of 43-year-old David Llewellyn Bedford at Hope Island on April 11, as well as aiding in the suicide of a woman who was working undercover for police, possessing and trafficking in animal euthanasia drugs, and receiving money from drug trafficking.

Taylor has been accused of sourcing the euthanasia drug under false pretences by setting up the beached whale euthanasia charity Cetacean Compassion Australia Ltd and accessing it through a lawful supplier. ABC News has reported that Taylor was also accused of posing as a lawyer on the Gold Coast between June 2019 and July 2024. The Legal Services Commissioner brought two charges against him in December for allegedly breaching the Legal Profession Act: first, that he prepared wills and other legally binding documents for 126 clients and received payment for services through his End of Life Services business; second, that he claimed to be entitled to engage in legal practice when he was not.

Police on Monday charged Taylor and two elderly people in connection with Mr Bedford’s death. Elaine Arch-Rowe, 81, faced court this week on charges of attempting to arrange the supply of the drug to an undercover officer. Prosecutors say she brought life-ending veterinary drugs to an RSL seminar to sell them. Arch-Rowe was granted bail and is due back in court on October 17, despite opposition from the prosecution. Taylor’s matter was adjourned, and he remains in custody ahead of a further court appearance on October 7.

An 80-year-old Ashmore man—police say the father of Taylor—has been charged with trafficking and possessing dangerous drugs and is due to appear in court the week after next. Magistrate Veena Goverdhan also noted that Taylor will remain remanded until the October 7 hearing. Mr Gee declined to comment as he left court.

The case underscores authorities’ ongoing scrutiny of euthanasia drug networks that operate under the guise of charitable or professional fronts. Prosecutors say the investigation spans multiple jurisdictions and involves the covert exchange of drugs for money, with undercover operations providing critical evidence about how some of the drugs were obtained and distributed. Police have stressed that the charges relate to suspected distribution of life-ending substances and not to inadvertent or accidental exposures, and they have urged any additional witnesses or victims to come forward as the inquiry continues.

Authorities have not ruled out additional charges as the investigation expands and more evidence is reviewed. The case, which has drawn national attention in Australia, also touches on broader debates about assisted dying, the regulation of veterinary euthanasia drugs, and the oversight of legal and medical professionals who may be implicated in facilitating harm. While the defendants have the right to due process, prosecutors say the public safety risks posed by illicit access to potent life-ending drugs necessitate a thorough and continuing inquiry.