Wellness influencer exposed for faking cancer dodges authorities a decade later: documentary
A disgraced Instagram influencer responsible for shaking up Australia's online wellness community by peddling fraudulent claims is sparking renewed outrage following a decade of evading authorities.
Belle Gibson dodged criminal charges after pushing fraudulent claims on her online health blog, resulting in one of Australia's most prolific scams and generating anger from the public and victims of the scam.
The Australian wellness blogger is the latest subject of Netflix's dramatic limited-series "Apple Cider Vinegar."
The series follows the 26-year-old's journey from single motherhood to international fame in 2013 as she chronicled her diagnosis with terminal brain cancer, sharing updates with viewers and ultimately announcing her recovery from the deadly tumor.
She used her success story to push her recipe app and cookbook, "The Whole Pantry," which boasted 200,000 Apple Store downloads in one month. Gibson promised buyers that a portion of the proceeds would be donated to charity and the family of a child with cancer.
In 2015, the Instagram star did a stunning about-face, admitting she had never been diagnosed with the terminal illness and essentially exposing herself as a fraud to her fans.
Two years later, Australia's Consumer Affairs Victoria discovered that only 2% of the profits were donated and determined that Gibson had breached consumer law. The country's federal court ordered Gibson to pay the remaining 410,000 Australian dollars – or $261,000 – and restricted her from making additional health claims.
In a letter to the court, Gibson admitted to being jobless, in debt and unable to pay. According to Australian law, Gibson cannot refuse to pay based on her financial situation, and a court order could allow authorities to take additional measures to obtain the money.
Eight years later, authorities are still attempting to collect the fines – and potential interest – from Gibson, but did not confirm whether any funds had been recovered.
"Consumer Affairs Victoria has continued to undertake actions to enforce the debt owed by Annabelle Natalie Gibson (Belle Gibson) under court order," the agency said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Gibson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
While Gibson has yet to be held fully accountable for her actions, her scams have had consequences in Australia.
In 2022, government officials rewrote the country's code regarding therapeutic health claims following public outcry regarding the fallout from Gibson's false claims.
Anyone found to be in violation of the new guidelines could face millions of dollars in fines, and those with health expertise are unable to endorse companies pedaling goods to consumers. Paid testimonials for related products are also prohibited.
"We won't be giving up, and we want justice for those impacted," a Victorian Government spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
The dramatic series, dubbed a "true-ish story, based on a lie," did not premiere without controversy. While online communities have praised its depiction of harmful wellness culture, others believe the show hits too close to home.
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A Queensland man, Col Ainscough, lost his wife and daughter – a wellness influencer – to cancer and believes the show uses fictional characters to depict his family, issuing a statement condemning the production.
The show was "insensitive and clearly profit-driven," Ainscough said.
Netflix did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Although the real-life story of Gibson's scam has yet to reach a final resolution, Australian authorities maintain that they are still pursuing justice a decade later.
"Behind the recent dramatization of Ms. Gibson's actions [are] a very real and long trail of businesses and individuals who have been hurt and swindled," a Victorian Government spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "We won't be giving up and we want justice for those impacted. The fine will not lapse and Ms. Gibson will be pursued by the relevant agencies."
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