Ahead of Netflix’s highly-anticipated series’ launch, we’re here to recap Belle Gibson’s infamous web of health and wellness lies, from her meteoric rise in fame to her ultimate downfall. 

When it comes to dissecting the meteoric rise and fall of Australian con woman Belle Gibson, it’s hard to know where to start. 

Known as the woman who fooled the world into believing she not only had several forms of terminal cancer but also that she managed to heal her illness through pseudo-science and a selection of healthy recipes, Gibson has spent over a decade lying, manipulating and dodging the consequences of her actions. 

Through her sudden and exponential rise to fame as one of Australia’s first prominent wellness influencers, the Melbourne-based mother of one conned her followers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. With her ruse dating back to early online chat forums, Gibson eventually took her story to social media, riding the first wave of influencer ascension in the early 2010s. 

Through her eventual business The Whole Pantry, a health and wellness app (and later published book), and active social media accounts, Gibson claimed she used food to heal her brain cancer, attracting an army of loyal followers and fans who found solace in her story of bravery and medical marvel. 

But despite her insistence and oddly convincing story (at least in the beginning) Gibson did not have any form of cancer – nor had she ever been diagnosed with a serious illness of any kind. 

Unpacking her swift downfall

After the extent of her manipulation and scamming was finally uncovered by Australian journalists, Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano from The Age, Gibson’s fall from grace and public opinion was swift. 

As well as finally having the false claims she relentlessly made on online forums for years prior to her social media stardom brought to light, Gibson was prosecuted and fined by the Federal Court in 2017 for $410,000. 

As of today, Gibson has yet to pay any amount of the penalty imposed for profiting from her fabricated illness and lying about charitable donations, a fine that due to interest and court fees has now exceeded half a million dollars. 

And while the convicted con woman has largely remained out of the public eye since her fall from grace, the world is far from forgiving and forgetting her villainy. 

Launching their long-awaited series, Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix is bringing the Belle Gibson story back to light. This time though, the woman who inspired the six-part series has not played a role in its production – nor will she profit a single cent from its predicted success. 

Pitched to viewers as being "inspired by a true story that was based on a lie", Netflix’s newest drama will unpack Gibson’s complicated web of lies and her incomparable rise and fall as an entrepreneurial social media star. 

Will Gibson ever be held accountable?

Considering how difficult advocating for one’s health can be in this day and age – especially for women – the impact Gibson’s disgraceful actions and downright greed have had on the public’s perception of wellness advocates and health experts is deplorable. Not only did she con people of their compassion, sympathy and money, she knowingly accepted awards, media coverage and a book advance under false pretences. 

Showing little to no remorse for her actions throughout legal proceedings (well, at least the ones she showed up for), Gibson maintained her victim mentality, pleading bankruptcy despite years of discretionary spending on clothes and travel being brought to the court’s attention. 

Despite being threatened with jail time as well as receiving her hefty fine for misleading consumers, Belle Gibson has not paid any of the penalties imposed. In January 2021, Gibson’s case was marked as ‘abandoned’ and is now closed. 

It’s an unbelievable and completely unsatisfactory ending to the story that fooled the nation, but with Netflix’s new series bringing Gibson’s treacherous tale back into the spotlight, perhaps her long-awaited public reckoning will follow.