Embattled war hero Ben Roberts-Smith's new girlfriend is a young blonde marketing executive who until recently was his junior employee at Channel Seven.
Mr Roberts-Smith, 42, took Sarah Matulin, 28, home to Perth with him for Christmas, having first struck up a relationship after she joined Channel Seven in mid-2020.
The Victoria Cross recipient is general manager of the company's Queensland office.
Daily Mail Australia understands that Mr Roberts-Smith's bosses - including his close friend and Channel Seven's CEO Kerry Stokes - were informed about the burgeoning relationship last year.
Ms Matulin has since chosen to leave her role to avoid any workplace conflict so the romance can continue.
War hero Ben Roberts-Smith (right) is dating young blonde marketing expert Sarah Matulin (left).
The pair are seen arriving on the same flight into Brisbane from Perth after visiting his family for Christmas
Mr Roberts-Smith took his new girlfriend back to his hometown of Perth for Christmas to meet his parents (pictured, the Victoria Cross recipient returning to Brisbane on the weekend)
Ms Matulin, 28, left her role at Channel Seven last month so their romance could continue (pictured, returning to Brisbane on the weekend after their Christmas trip to Perth)
Despite being based in Brisbane, Ms Matulin did not report to Mr Roberts-Smith but rather to the company's head office in Sydney.
Sources close to the couple say that over recent months they have spent increasing amounts of time together.
Together they flew to Mr Roberts-Smith's hometown of Perth in late December and it is understood Ms Matulin joined him at his parents' home for Christmas.
Ms Matulin is understood to have left Channel Seven in mid-December to return to a Brisbane-based PR firm.
Mr Roberts-Smith finalised his split from wife Emma in recent days, just weeks after the couple sold their sprawling country mansion.
The four-bedroom home where they raised their two daughters sold for more than $2million in a pre-auction deal in December.
Mr Roberts-Smith's marriage had faced numerous hurdles through the years, among them allegations of a tumultuous affair with a married woman.
In documents filed in the Federal Court she accused the 2.2 metres tall solider of assaulting her, and leaving her with a black eye.
Ms Matulin joined Channel Seven in mid-2020 as a marketing and partnerships executive, but has since returned to her old role with a communications and PR firm
One of Australia's greatest modern war heroes, Mr Roberts-Smith is fighting war crimes allegations levelled against him by Nine Newspapers.
He denies all claims made about his tours of Afghanistan
Mr Roberts-Smith split from wife Emma last year after a tumultuous relationship that included claims he had cheated
Daily Mail Australia understands that as the relationship intensified Mr Roberts-Smith made all the necessary disclosures to his bosses, including close friend and Channel Seven CEO Kerry Stokes (pictured).
Mr Stokes is also financially backing Mr Roberts-Smith's defamation action
The court heard claims last year that Mr Roberts-Smith asked his wife to lie after she found out about the affair.
One of Australia's greatest modern war heroes, Mr Roberts-Smith is fighting war crimes allegations levelled against him by Nine Newspapers.
Mr Roberts-Smith has denied any wrongdoing during his time in Afghanistan or Iraq.
He has launched defamation action against Nine and is being financially backed in part by Mr Stokes.
Mr Stokes' private investment company Australian Capital Equity has reportedly extended a $1.9million line of credit to Mr Roberts-Smith.
The former soldier has provided his Victoria Cross and other battlefield decorations including a Medal for Gallantry as security for the loan.
'The funding of his legal action is a private matter, however he has put his medals up as collateral on a loan and will relinquish them if required,' Mr Stokes said.
'If this eventuates, I will donate his medals with Ben's approval to the Australian War Memorial, as I have done so with other VCs and medals in the past.'
A report by the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence released last year found credible information of an alleged 39 unlawful killings by special forces soldiers in Afghanistan, mostly by the SAS.
Mr Roberts-Smith has been linked to some of these alleged killings but denies any wrongdoing.
Victoria Cross recipient Mr Roberts-Smith and his ex-wife bought the property for $1.45 million in 2015, before making several extensions to the home, menambah followers instagram including adding a pool and poolhouse