Belle Gibson had a scheduled appearance in federal court today but the disgraced blogger was a no-show.
According to AAP Gibson did not front up to Federal Court in Melbourne on Tuesday to face allegations she falsely mislead consumers into thinking she’d recovered from terminal brain cancer through healthy eating and natural therapies and scammed fundraising money.
The Consumer Affairs Victoria was today trying to secure financial penalties against the 24-year-old who they claim is liable to be fined for her alleged “unconscionable conduct” while promoting herself and her Whole Pantry app and book.
The CAV wants Gibson to not be allowed to promote herself in the same fashion again and issue public notices of apology.
An earlier Herald Sun report has claimed to have spoken to a cancer sufferer, and former fan of Gibson, who branded the mother-of-one a “thief” who needed to “pay for her crimes”.
“This thief needs to be brought to justice — I really hope she doesn’t get off scot-free,” the woman known as Ashley told The Herald Sun.
“She needs to pay for her crimes. Pretending to have cancer and ripping all of those charities off and duping all of those people is disgusting.”
Earlier this year Justice Debbie Mortimer reportedly issued a court order giving Gibson until July 10 to take part in the civil proceedings, warning there would otherwise be tough consequences, reports News Limited.
Despite the judge’s cautions, Gibson no only didn’t show up in court today, but has failed to file a defence.
The Herald Sun reports that sources who know Gibson said she was just “hoping it would all go away” if she just ignored the proceedings.
The newspaper also reports the cancer fake faces penalties of up to $1.1 million.
Belle’s The Whole Pantry book publisher Penguin has since been ordered to pay $30,000 over its role in not fact checking the author and will now have to include a “prominent warning” notices on all future books containing claims about natural therapies to explain they are not evidence-based.
