Married at First Sight Groom Timothy Smith’s criminal past: He came across as an average reality star looking for love… but he harbored a dark secret

Married At First Sight Australian groom Timothy Smith turned out to be a convicted drug smuggler who was in an American prison on Tuesday evening.

The season 11 star’s sordid history was revealed by A Current Affair, where viewers were shocked to learn the 52-year-old property mogul had spent more than a year behind bars.

Timothy, who lived in Vancouver at the time, said he used a helicopter to illegally smuggle large amounts of marijuana from Canada into the US.

“I was a helicopter pilot in North America and I did something really stupid,” he said, revealing that he was paid to take flying lessons for the purpose of human trafficking.

‘It’s something I’m not proud of. I’m not proud of it at all, but it doesn’t define who I am and I’m not the same person I was seventeen years ago.”

Timothy said he would make $100,000 per trip across the border in a helicopter full of marijuana.

“I would take off from a small unmanned airfield and I would fly down a valley into a creek where I would encounter an all-terrain vehicle… within a minute the helicopter would be loaded,” he said.

Timothy was arrested by police in Los Angeles when he returned to the country after visiting his sick mother in Australia.

The season 11 star’s sordid history was revealed by A Current Affair, where viewers were shocked to learn the property mogul spent more than a year behind bars.

The groom was convicted in 2006 of “trafficking marijuana across an international border,” but they “stuck immigration for four or six months.”

Despite spending his days locked up alongside hardened criminals, the real punishment came when his mother and younger brother Dave died while he was in prison.

An emotional Timothy said Dave called him at the start of his sentence and said, ‘Don’t let anyone mess with you’ and ‘I’ll be there when you get out,’ but he wasn’t.”

Halfway through Timothy’s sentence, tragedy struck when his mother died of cancer and his brother died by suicide just a few months after her death.

Timothy, who lived in Vancouver at the time, said he used a helicopter to illegally smuggle large amounts of marijuana from Canada into the US.

Timothy said he didn’t tell the producers on MAFS that he was a convicted drug smuggler when he signed on for the show.

The groom was linked to fan favorite Lucinda Light during his stint on MAFS this year, but they split after a disastrous visit to a host family in Melbourne.

The couple ended their marriage at the next commitment ceremony, with Timothy acknowledging his lackluster efforts to the experts.

“I didn’t go to a host family with the best attitude,” he said at the time, before admitting that he found deep emotional exploration “uncomfortable” and “overwhelming.”

Despite their romance not working out, Timothy and Lucinda have maintained a close friendship since the cameras stopped rolling.

Timothy, who was paired with Lucinda Light (right), said he didn’t tell producers on MAFS that he was a convicted drug smuggler when he signed on for the show

The former on-screen couple have been spotted together on a night out, with Lucinda recently sharing how ‘delighted’ she is to have Timothy as a ‘dear friend’.

During this week’s explosive reunion, Timothy and Lucinda thrilled viewers when they revealed they had continued to forge their bond after leaving the show.

They told their castmates and the show’s relationship experts that they have stayed in touch and grown closer after a rocky start in the experiment.

“I’m not usually as tough as I used to be,” Timothy said of how much he had changed thanks to Lucinda’s support.

“There’s a lot of emotional things that I’ve had to deal with and deal with. It’s okay to not be okay and Lou showed me that,” he added.

“She showed me how to just let a few people in.” The experiment was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed every part of it.”