Social media influencers: Melbourne’s disgraced stars Belle Gibson, Avi Yemini, Maddie Scott
A Peninsula glamour girl who posted more than 20,000 photos on Instagram, turned to drugs to break her social media “obsession”. But it was a simple traffic violation that brought her down. And she is not alone in going from glamour to the gutter.
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They have big profiles on social media, but these stars didn’t like the spotlight when they faced court or got in trouble with the boys and girls in blue.
Here are Melbourne’s social media stars who have fallen foul of the law.
RAQUEL YASMINE PETIT
Bikini model Raquel Yasmine Petit walked free from drug trafficking charges in 2018 after turning police informer.
The Gold Coast glamour had been accused of being part of an international steroid importation syndicate when she lived in Melbourne in the year to May 2016.
But Victoria’s County Court heard in November 2018 all the drugs charges had been withdrawn in a deal with the prosecution to give evidence against her two co-accused.
Petit, then 25, instead pleaded guilty to five lesser charges: using a false document and four counts of producing a false document to a reporting entity.
BELLE GIBSON
Thousands of cancer sufferers across Australia were outraged when wellness blogger Belle Gibson was exposed as a fraud.
In 2017, the Melbourne mother was found guilty of five breaches of the consumer law over her health and wellness empire’s dealings.
The Victorian sheriff’s office executed a warrant on Gibson’s Northcote home in January as the stand-off continued over her refusal to pay a fine of more than $500,000.
She was fined for faking terminal brain cancer to make a profit by duping Australians into believing she cured her condition with healthy eating.
The founder of The Whole Pantry built a strong following on social media as she shared her battle with cancer — which turned out to be a lie.
AVI YEMINI
Yemini showed no emotion as he was convicted and fined on charges of unlawful assault, using a carriage service to harass on three occasions and breaching an order at Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court in July 2019.
The well-known activist, former soldier, failed pollie and now wannabe online journalist had previously told followers he championed women’s rights.
But in reality Yemini brutally harassed and assaulted his ex-wife, whose harrowing victim impact statement stated he had “broken her spirit” and “destroyed her self-worth”.
He had thrown a chopping board that hit her on her head while she prepared dinner, and he had texted her a series of vile and explicit messages.
In court his lawyer said social media had been “absolutely brutal” and he had “become almost a meme”.
He was convicted and fined $3600.
MADELINE SCOTT
The Mount Martha glamour girl who turned to drugs to break her social media obsession was nabbed dealing GHB and meth.
Madeline Scott, 22, pleaded guilty in the County Court in early October to charges including trafficking a commercial quantity of drugs.
Scott’s downfall from financial planner to jail bird was cemented when she was busted doing a U-turn without indicating in Langwarrin about 4am on December 18 last year.
Police pulled Scott over then searched her car after an officer spotted an ice pipe popping out of her Pink handbag.
The court was told Scott turned to drugs after she went “cold turkey” from obsessively posting photos of herself on Instagram.
The Peninsula glamour girl had posted more than 20,000 photos on social media, the court heard.
Judge Michael Cahill remanded Scott for sentencing on October 30.
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