Cancer faker Belle Gibson’s home raided over ‘substantial debts’
Disgraced wellness blogger Belle Gibson, who faked brain cancer, owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid fines.
Authorities have again raided the Melbourne home of disgraced wellness blogger Belle Gibson over hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid fines.
Victoria’s Sheriff’s Office executed a warrant at the Melbourne mother’s home at inner north suburb Northcote on Friday over “substantial debts” owed to the state.
The founder of app The Whole Pantry built a wellness empire on the back of fraudulent claims she cured brain cancer through clean eating and holistic living.
Gibson’s app was downloaded more than 540,000 times and she also published a book by the same name with Penguin.
A Consumer Affairs Victoria spokeswoman said Gibson owed more than $500,000 in fines, penalties and interest.
“Ms Gibson owes the Victorian public a substantial debt and Consumer Affairs Victoria will continue to pursue repayment,” she said. “A warrant of seizure and sale on Ms Gibson was executed today by Sheriff’s officers.”
The Federal Court fined Gibson $410,000 in 2017 after being found guilty of breaching consumer law over her wellness empire. In her judgment, Justice Debra Mortimer said Gibson “chose to perpetuate the fantasy and deception she had created”.
“Ms Gibson was prepared to continue making a profit on the back of the goodwill of those members of the Australian public who are likely to have believed her representations, and bought her products at least in part because of them,” Justice Mortimer said.
One of the contraventions related to a claim that one week’s sales of The Whole Pantry app would be donated to the Schwarz family to help their son Joshua, who had an inoperable brain tumour.
“If ever there is conduct deserving of the label unconscionable, it is Ms Gibson’s conduct in respect of Joshua,” Justice Mortimer said.
In 2019, Gibson claimed she was unable to pay the fine despite spending thousands on clothes, holidays and cryptocurrency investment.
The Federal Court heard Gibson did not have a job.
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