For the victims of con-woman Belle Gibson, nothing will compare to the distress and damage caused by her claim that natural remedies had miraculously cured her terminal brain cancer.
Gibson’s shocking lie saw her fans scammed out of nearly half a million dollars for her advice on how to treat cancer through diet and alternative therapies in her popular cookbook and app, The Whole Pantry.
In September 2017, Gibson, now 33, was found guilty of five separate contraventions of Australian consumer law and was ordered by the Federal Court to pay $410,000.
Due to interest, that figure has now blown out to more than $500,000. However, seven years on, it appears not a single cent has been paid.
“Belle was flying first class, she rented a multimillion-dollar house in Elwood [Melbourne] and a BMW four-wheel drive and [had] her teeth fixed – the money’s gone,” her former friend, Chanelle McAuliffe, recently said.
“This just shows how little action has been taken and that Belle is unwilling to take any responsibility.”
The pair met in October 2014, one year after Gibson revealed to her hundreds of thousands of followers that she’d been given the terminal diagnosis in 2009.
Chanelle says she soon began noticing discrepancies in her friend’s story and contacted the media, wanting to stop her from causing harm to others.
For mother-of-three Kylie Willey, it was almost too late. She’d refused conventional treatment for her leukemia for two weeks following Gibson’s ‘guide’ – an act that almost cost her her life.
“I’m so angry at her for making me feel like a fool. For taking my money when I bought her books and apps,” she told 9News in 2017.
“You’re at the depths of despair, you’re looking for an alternative for the horror you are going through when you go through cancer treatment.
“It was horrible. She totally preyed on me.”
Earlier this month, it was reported that lawyers for Consumer Affairs Victoria, which launched the court action, had not put a freezing order on Gibson’s assets. This has impacted its ability to enforce the fine.
When asked by New Idea last week if the consumer watchdog had been able to recover any of the outstanding monies, Consumer Affairs Victoria could not confirm.
Despite the Federal Court declaring her case as ‘abandoned’ in 2021, Gibson’s The Whole Pantry business remains active on the Australian Business Register and is still registered to an address in Melbourne.
It is not known what purpose Gibson has for keeping the business active. The mother of one did not respond when contacted for comment by New Idea last week.
The news of Gibson’s latest swindle comes as Netflix’s new hit series Apple Cider Vinegar revives global interest.
The drama, which is a “true-ish” retelling of Gibson’s lie, has left many wondering if she’ll ever face consequences and if this is the last we’ll hear from her. Her former friend doesn’t think so.
“There are murmurs she’s working on new businesses,” Chanelle told Woman’s Day in 2023.
“I don’t doubt she’ll keep reinventing herself. She was on her way to creating an empire. She’s capable of continuing to deceive people. It’s what she knows best.”
