Nadia Bartel's white-powder scandal 'has torn apart her circle of friends'

Three weeks have passed since Nadia Bartel was caught on camera snorting white powder at an illegal gathering during Melbourne’s Covid lockdown.

And the footy WAG’s once tight-knit circle of friends is now said to be divided in the wake of the scandal, with The Sun-Herald reporting the incident has ‘driven a wedge’ within the group of women.

While the newspaper didn’t go into detail about the rift, Nadia does not appear to have ousted the woman responsible for posting the ‘snorting’ video in the first place: BFF Ellie Pearson. 

Divided: Nadia Bartel’s (left) once tight-knit circle of friends is said to be divided in the wake of her white-powder scandal earlier this month. However, she does not appear to have ousted the woman responsible for posting the ‘snorting’ video in the first place: BFF Ellie Pearson (right)

Ellie quietly returned to Instagram last week after deactivating her account when the scandal erupted at the start of the month. Nadia is still among her 8,429 followers. 

The ex-wife of Geelong great Jimmy Bartel was caught attending an illegal party during Melbourne’s Covid lockdown on September 2.

She and three other women were each fined $5,452 after damning footage of the party was accidentally posted on Instagram by her friend and business partner Ellie.

 

Return: Ellie quietly returned to Instagram last week after deactivating her account when the scandal erupted on September 2. Pictured: her account when it was deleted (top) and after it was restored (bottom) 

Still friends? Nadia is still among Ellie’s 8,429 followers on Instagram

But the most humiliating part of the scandal was seeing Nadia, once known for her impeccably clean-cut image, snorting a line of white powder off a $1.50 Kmart plate.

While the 36-year-old wasn’t charged with drug offences because police couldn’t prove what she was snorting, the video nonetheless caused irreparable damage to her brand and she was dropped by major sponsors. 

Just 24 hours after the video leaked, Nadia issued a grovelling apology on Instagram, where she has 568,000 followers.

Caught on camera: The ex-wife of Geelong great Jimmy Bartel was caught attending an illegal party during Melbourne’s Covid lockdown on September 2. She and three other women were each fined $5,452 after footage of the party was accidentally posted on Instagram by Ellie

Bad luck: While Nadia (left) wasn’t charged with drug offences because police couldn’t prove what she was snorting, the video nonetheless caused irreparable damage to her brand 

‘Hi everyone, I have let you all down by my actions,’ she wrote on September 3.

‘I take full responsibility and I am committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure I make better choices in future.

‘To my family and friends, my business partners and the public health workers trying to keep us all safe, I am embarrassed and remorseful.

‘I am truly and deeply sorry. I hope I can earn your forgiveness and, in time, your trust.’