Lying, for all intents and purposes, has a deservedly bad rep.
Lying to convince others you have a terminal cancer? Well, that’s reprehensible.
Using that falsehood to eke money from honest-to-God sufferers of the same illness? Waving the banner of charity and siphoning the subsequent donations to… fuck knows where?
If you hit that point, you may or may not be Belle Gibson. If you’re unfamiliar with her particular brand of bullshittery: she parlayed a fraudulent diagnosis of brain cancer – and how she was ‘treating’ it with natural remedies – into an utter money-spinner, to the detriment of very real sufferers.
If you’re still wondering if all this indignation is worth it, watch this clip from 2014, and repeat to yourself: she doesn’t have brain cancer.
Now, after a gruelling legal procession, Consumer Affairs Victoria is pursuing action in the Federal Court against Gibson. They claim the one-time founder of wellness empire The Whole Pantry oughta apologise – very, very publicly – for using her BS clout to mislead a swath of followers.
Court documents released today detail how they want Gibson to pony up a fine, along with the arguably more relevant punishment of admitting her wrongdoing via newspaper. Hypothetically, the piece would also include very clear instructions for real sufferers to seek professional, mainstream medical advice.
Previously, CAV’s Director Simon Cohen said “this is an important step in ensuring that consumers receive only verified information and are not deceived, particularly where serious matters of health and medical treatment are concerned.”
It’s not pleasant to think people are capable of misleading others on such a grandiose scale, but there is some small comfort in knowing her profile might eventually lead sufferers to legitimate treatments.
