Fake wellness guru has already been warned she faces jail for non-compliance

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Cancer con artist Belle Gibson will be hauled before court to explain her failure to pay a $410,000 penalty for duping Australians.

The fake wellness guru has been summoned to appear in the federal court on May 14 for examination on her financial affairs, following her non-compliance.

She has already been warned she faces jail for failing to pay the penalty, imposed on her in 2017 by federal court Justice Debra Mortimer for five breaches of consumer laws.

Gibson claimed she had brain cancer and healed herself with natural remedies, including diet and alternative therapies.

She also lied to well-meaning consumers that she would donate money from her Whole Pantry app and book sales to various charities, including a boy with inoperable brain cancer.

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Although Gibson received $440,500 from sales of her app and book, she only donated about $10,000 to charity.

She and her company Inkerman Road Nominees – which was placed in liquidation – only began making the small donations after the media began questioning her claims.

Justice Mortimer warned Gibson in November failure to pay the penalty will make her liable for jail, property seizures or other punishment.

The judge scathingly described the fraudster as having a “relentless obsession with herself” when she handed down her penalty in September, 2017.

Justice Mortimer said Gibson not only tried to garner sympathy for her own claimed cancer, but promoted herself as generous and selfless so people would buy her products.

The judge said her failure to apologise or attend any of her court hearings demonstrated how she placed her own interests ahead of others.

Consumer Affairs Victoria brought the action against Gibson and her company Inkerman Road Nominees.

She could have faced a maximum penalty of $1.1m.