Advertisement

Cancer faker Gibson ordered to face court

Belle Gibson faces jail after failing to pay a $410,000 fine.

Belle Gibson faces jail after failing to pay a $410,000 fine. Photo: AAP

Cancer con artist Belle Gibson will be hauled before court to explain her failure to pay a $410,000 penalty for duping Australians.

The fake wellness guru has been summoned to appear in the Federal Court on May 14 for examination on her financial affairs, following her non-compliance.

She has already been warned she faces jail for failing to pay the penalty, imposed on her in 2017 by Federal Court Justice Debra Mortimer for five breaches of consumer laws.

Gibson claimed she had brain cancer and healed herself with natural remedies, including diet and alternative therapies.

She also lied to well-meaning consumers that she would donate money from her Whole Pantry app and book sales to various charities, including a boy with inoperable brain cancer.

Although Gibson received $440,500 from sales of her app and book, she donated only about $10,000 to charity.

She and her company Inkerman Road Nominees – which was placed in liquidation – began making the small donations only after the media started questioning her claims.

Justice Mortimer warned Gibson in November that failure to pay the penalty would make her liable for jail, property seizures or other punishment.

The judge scathingly described the fraudster as having a “relentless obsession with herself” when she handed down her penalty in September 2017.

Justice Mortimer said Gibson not only tried to garner sympathy for her own claimed cancer, but promoted herself as generous and selfless so people would buy her products.

The judge said her failure to apologise or attend any of her court hearings demonstrated how she placed her own interests ahead of others.

Consumer Affairs Victoria brought the action against Gibson and her company Inkerman Road Nominees.

She could have faced a maximum penalty of $1.1 million.

-AAP

Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter
Copyright © 2024 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.