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Home / Lifestyle

What cancer con-artist Belle Gibson spends her money on revealed

By Rohan Smith
news.com.au·
20 Jun, 2019 03:12 AM3 mins to read

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The self-described wellness guru, who lied about her terminal brain cancer diagnosis to dupe Australians out of more than $AU578,000. Photo / Facebook

The self-described wellness guru, who lied about her terminal brain cancer diagnosis to dupe Australians out of more than $AU578,000. Photo / Facebook

The Belle Gibson show returned to a Melbourne court this morning as the cancer fraud asks for more time to pay a fine of $NZD430,000 she received for lying to Australians.

Gibson, 27, was fined for breaching consumer law with claims she healed herself with good food and natural remedies — remedies she then peddled to the public as part of her Whole Pantry business.

The fine has been unpaid since it was issued in 2017, two years after Gibson's fake brain cancer diagnosis was revealed.

Gibson broke down when being examined about her assets and spending this morning.

She performed various work via Airtasker including caring for an elderly woman between July and September 2017.

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But she says she was kicked off Airtasker and not told why.

More than 300,000 sufferers made purchases from her before the fake cancer story emerged in 2015. Photo / Facebook
More than 300,000 sufferers made purchases from her before the fake cancer story emerged in 2015. Photo / Facebook

"There were comments about me (on the platform) and I'm assuming that's why," she said.

Gibson has also been running errands for people in her life. They pay her back, sometimes in cash.

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Asked whether she does it because she has time, Gibson responded: "That's my nature. If somebody needs help I'll provide it."

Gibson was asked to explain where a pair of deposits totaling $NZD1700 were made when she was holidaying in Bali in 2017.

She responded "I don't know."

The lawyer for Consumer Affairs Victoria asked her: "Is that seriously your evidence?"

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Gibson said she did not wish to speculate.

She broke down when asked to give details of the care she was giving to an elderly woman named "Claire".

"This is what I'm saying about my empathetic nature," Gibson said.

Gibson stopped to remove her glasses and wipe away tears.

The court was adjourned for five minutes to give Gibson a chance to compose herself.

When questioning resumed, Gibson revealed her income.

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Gibson earned $16,700 in 2016 and $NZD21,000 in 2017, but spent $NZD95,400 in the past two years, lawyers claimed.

The court heard she spent $NZD13,600 on clothes, accessories and cosmetics, as well as $NZD47,200 on "discretionary" items.

She was asked if she had any capacity to find money to pay back any of the $NZD430,000 she owes.

Gibson said "no".

Asked if she had considered bankruptcy, Gibson confirmed she had, but could not say how far those considerations had advanced.

The court adjourned for the day, with examinations to commence at a later date.

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She was appearing in the Federal Court where last month it was revealed she had been using a Sportsbet account, trading in cryptocurrencies and using Afterpay payments for "discretionary spending".

Consumer Affairs Victoria barrister Elle Nikou Madalin grilled the mother-of-one about everything from her bank accounts to the clothes she was wearing in court.

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