Belle Gibson, Raquel Petit: Victoria’s social media stars who broke the law

It’s easy to portray a life of glamour and success on social media but sometimes it’s all just an act. These are the stars who flaunted their lives online but came crashing down in the courtroom.

With the rise of social media it has never been easier to portray a picture-perfect life online. People build cult-like followings and hold great influence over those that follow them.

But people aren’t always honest on social media and the ability to lead a “double life” has never been easier.

Victoria Police has seen a rise in people not only using the internet to engage in criminal activity, but also to hide from their life of crime.

“With the evolution of technology, police have found opportunistic scammers have more opportunity than ever before to target victims,” a police spokesperson said.

Police encourage people to educate themselves about the dangers of the online world.

“It is important that online users understand the internet isn’t the same as a face-to-face environment as you can’t be sure the person you are speaking to is who they say they are,” the spokesperson said.

“Police encourage users to put their safety first by withholding their full name, address and phone number until they have enough information about the person to feel safe.”

Police take reports of cybercrime “extremely seriously” and are committed to investigating and prosecuting, no matter how many followers someone might have.

“Police recommend that online users should record details of inappropriate activity such as information posted, date, time, email address and website for reporting purposes,” the spokesperson said.

Here are some of the social media stars in Victoria who came crashing down from internet fame through criminal activity.

RAQUEL YASMINE PETIT

Bikini model Raquel Yasmine Petit has 136,000 followers on Instagram.

Bikini model Raquel Yasmine Petit has 136,000 followers on Instagram and boasts a picture perfect life full of bikinis and tropical locations but all is not as it seems with this influencer.

The glamour girl walked free from drug trafficking charges in 2018 after turning police informer.

She had been accused of being part of an international steroid importation syndicate when she lived in Melbourne in 2016.

The court heard she used a fake Queensland driver’s licence, in a school friend’s name but with her photo, to set up eight post office boxes and make international money transfers between April 2015 and May 2016.

The mailboxes were intended for the importation of drugs, while Moneygram and Western Union Travelex facilities across Melbourne were used to transfer a total of $46,920 to China and Ukraine for payment of the drugs.

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.

The judge put her on a five-year recognisance order where she must be of good behaviour and continue to assist the prosecution.

But pleas to avoid a conviction were ignored, with the judge saying the offending was too serious.

BELLE GIBSON

Belle Gibson arrives at the Federal Court in Melbourne, Thursday, June 20, 2019.

Known as the great “insta-con artist” Belle Gibson used her Instagram platform to convince followers she beat brain cancer through 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.

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.

Her business earned more than $578,000 from more than 300,000 purchases before cracks in her story started to appear.

AVI YEMINI

Right-wing activist Avi Yemini arrives at the Melbourne Magistrates in Melbourne, Wednesday, November 6, 2019.

Avi Yemini is an internet celebrity who gained a following on multiple social media platforms after rising to prominence as an activist, and wannabe online journalist. He 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”.

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.

He had thrown a chopping board that hit his ex-wife 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.

He has regained a large following flaunting 149,000 followers on Instagram and 247,100 followers on Twitter, where he claims to “tell the other side of the story” with his media company Rebel News.

MADELINE SCOTT

Mount Martha glamour girl, Madeline Scott, 23, who turned to drugs to break her social media obsession, was nabbed dealing GHB and meth.

The court was told Scott turned to drugs after she went “cold turkey” from obsessively posting photos of herself on Instagram.

The Peninsula insta star had posted more than 20,000 photos on social media, the court heard.

She pleaded guilty in the County Court in early October 2020 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 2019.

Police pulled Scott over then searched her car after an officer spotted an ice pipe popping out of her Pink handbag.

She was jailed for three years but must spend at least 18 months behind bars before she is eligible for parole.

EILEEN CASSIDY

Melbourne model Eileen Cassidy. Instagram.

A jetsetting Sydney-based glamour model and Instagram influencer has blamed her driving woes on a luxurious lifestyle.

Eileen Cassidy, 30, pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in October 2021 to multiple charges including driving while suspended.

Police, who intercepted Cassidy at South Yarra in April 2019, informed insta star that her licence had been suspended due to a demerit point demolition.

The Instagram influencer was charged and her car was impounded for 30 days at a cost of almost $900.

Cassidy was back in trouble after she was nabbed using her phone while driving through a St Kilda intersection on July 16 2020.

Cassidy had been looking at her phone just prior to driving through the Barkly St and Grey St intersection, the court was told.

The Magistrate reimposed the $496 mobile phone fine in court, she was placed on a nine-month good behaviour bond and ordered to make a $100 donation to the road trauma support service.