-With AAP
More than two years after Belle Gibson’s cancer claims were first exposed as lies, the former health blogger has been fined $410,000 by the Federal Court for misleading consumers.
The 25-year-old claimed she had brain cancer, healed herself with natural remedies and lied to consumers about donating to charities from the sales of her The Whole Pantry app.
In the Federal Court in Melbourne on Thursday, Justice Debbie Mortimer ordered she pay a total of $410,000 for five contraventions of Australian consumer law.
In April the same judge ordered Gibson to pay $30,000 to cover Consumer Affairs legal costs and prohibited her from claiming that she had been diagnosed with brain cancer before 2016 and was given four months to live - claims that the businesswoman had previously used to promote her wellness app.
Consumer Affairs Victoria took Gibson to court in 2016 alleging she had lied about a 2009 brain cancer diagnosis and subsequent recovery.
Gibson had faced a maximum penalty of $1.1 million.
Top Comments
Seems a piss-poor judgement to me - she made millions from her book and app sales and she only has to pay back $410,000?? No gaol time either. She is nothing but a con-artist. I can't help but wonder if she was a guy, would she have also got gaol time.
She should have to publicly apologise and tell the truth for once in her life!!