The Bell Tolls For Thee, Belle Gibson: Wellness Advocate (And Cancer-Faker) Faces $1m In Fines

More than a year after she revealed that, nah, she didn’t have cancer after all, Belle Gibson is facing legal action from Consumer Affairs.

According to The Age, Consumer Affairs Victoria is preparing to take Gibson to court, where she will face accusations of contravening consumer law... not to mention more than $1 million in penalties.

The 24-year-old Gibson gained notoriety by saying she cured malignant brain cancer with healthy eating and holistic medicine, launching an app and cookbook (The Whole Pantry) off the back of her miraculous claims.

However, Gibson admitted to Women’s Weekly last year that she had never been diagnosed with cancer.

"No. None of it's true,” she said at the time.

"I don't want forgiveness. I just think [speaking out] was the responsible thing.

“Above anything, I would like people to say 'OK, she's human'."

We’ll see if that’s a viable legal defence when she fronts up to Federal Court.

Consumer Affairs Minister Jane Garrett has said “financial penalties” will be sought from Gibson, as well as “terms of injunctions to ensure that that conduct is not undertaken again."

The latter would perhaps be the most significant result from this ordeal, given how Gibson influenced those suffering from illness, and, as Consumer Affairs Victoria allege, capitalised on their “fears”.

Penguin Australia, the publishers of The Whole Pantry, have agreed to make a $30,000 donation to the Victorian Consumer Law Fund in response to the scandal.

They stopped printing The Whole Pantry after Gibson’s admission in 2015.

Photo: Penguin.