Fake cancer blogger guilty of 'misleading and deceptive conduct'
The woman who made thousands after selling products on the back of a blog falsely claiming she had cancer has been found guilty of "misleading and deceptive conduct" in the Federal Court.
Justice Debra Mortimer said on Wednesday Belle Gibson's alleged "unconscionable conduct", which involves her claim that she had brain cancer and healed herself with natural remedies, had been mostly proved, though not entirely.
Victoria's consumer watchdog accused Gibson of falsely claiming she healed herself naturally after being diagnosed with brain cancer in 2009 and given four months to live, while promoting her Whole Pantry app and book.
The notorious 25-year-old became rich and famous from selling her Whole Food app and a diet she said ridded her body of cancer before her fraud was exposed in 2015.
The watchdog launched an investigation two years ago, accusing Gibson of engaging in misleading or deceptive commerce by making the claims to promote her app and book.
Gibson told her large social media following she started "getting back to basics", and opted for healthy foods and natural therapies which healed her cancer, the court heard.
She pocketed $578,005 selling her snake oil before being called out for being a "pathological liar" who never even had cancer.
Gibson did not appear in court for the ruling and was not present during previous hearings.
In her published ruling today, Justice Debra Mortimer said Gibson's social media followers and book readers were misled, upholding "most but not all" of Consumer Affairs Victoria's case against her.
Former wellness blogger Belle Gibson claimed she had cancer for months. Photo: Instagram
The ruling stated Gibson was not living with brain cancer "at any stage of her life".
"The brain MRI scan performed at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne in 2011 confirmed that Ms Gibson did not have a brain tumour. This was well before she launched The Whole Pantry apps and book," Justice Mortimer wrote.
"Having conventional treatment was the premise upon which the rest of Ms Gibson's story was built — that is, that she turned away from the conventional treatments for cancer in favour of 'healing' herself through nutrition and other alternative remedies.
"There is no evidence to suggest Ms Gibson had any conventional cancer treatment."
"I am satisfied that, in the context the statements were made, members of the community reading those statements would be erroneously led to believe that Ms Gibson was suffering from terminal brain cancer where this was never the case."
Gibson will learn her fate at court on Wednesday. Source: Facebook
In the days leading up to the verdict, the sham miracle healer found herself back in the headlines after attaching herself to another diet regime similar to the one she said cured her of a brain tumour.
The Melbourne blogger has now promoted the Master Fast System, which claims to help the body "heal itself" of its ills using a combination of fasting techniques and herbal remedies.
Submissions on penalty and costs in the case are to be made later this month, Justice Mortimer said.
