Cancer con Belle Gibson netted $420,000 but gave just $10,000 to charity, court hears

Cancer fraud Belle Gibson made nearly half a million dollars from her lies, a court has heard, and gave just $10,000 to charity.

Consumer Affairs Victoria is taking legal action against the former wellness advocate but the hearing was held without her after she refused to show up.

Belle Gibson was once the glamorous proof of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

But she built her empire on lies and now spends her time at home, refusing to take responsibility for her actions.

An interview with Gibson at the height of her fame in 2014 was tendered to the Federal Court on Tuesday. In it, she told her publishers about being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

“He just looked at me and said, you’ve got a GB< brain tumor and you’ve got six weeks to four months to live,” she said.

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She launched a website, an app and wrote a book claiming she had controlled her cancer through a healthy diet and life.

And, she claimed, a large part of the money was going to charity.

“We chose our charities each quarter,” she said in her interview clip.

“So far we’ve given to nine charities.”

But not of it was true. Belle Gibson never had cancer and her donations were minimal.

Instead she spent tens of thousands of dollars on travel and cars.

The court heard the over two years she earned more than $420,000. She gave just $10,000 away.

The case was heard without Gibson after she refused to attended.

Consumer Affairs Victoria says her conduct was unconscionable, misleading and deceptive.

Not once has she responded in person to Consumer Affairs Victoria. Instead she has only provided a series of written answers to question provided through her then lawyers.

Consumer Affairs wants Gibson fined; the maximum penalty is $1.1 million.

The judge will hand down her decision in coming weeks.