Australian blogger deceived people by faking illness

An Australian blogger by the name of Belle Gibson led many to believe that brain cancer can be treated with a gluten-free healthy diet and Ayurvedic medicine in a bid to sell her app and book. However, it turns out that it was all a farce as she never had cancer and was just using the illness to sell her merchandise. The blogger has also been accused of pledging donation from proceeds of her sales but never making those payments.

On Thursday, a judge in Australia fined Aus$410,000 over these false claims. The Federal Court in Melbourne and found out that Gibson had been deceiving people right from the time she launched a popular cookbook and smartphone app in 2013, claiming that she overcame cancer through alternative treatments, including Ayurvedic medicine and a gluten-free diet.

Later in 2015, Gibson confessed to an Australian magazine that she lied about her diagnosis in order to make her business successful. After investigations were conducted, it was also found out that she had never made donations to a charity which she had publicly pledged.

.”If there is one theme or pattern which emerges through her conduct, it is her relentless obsession with herself and what best serves her interests,” Justice Debra Mortimer said in handing down the fine for misleading and deceptive conduct.

Mortimer further said that majority of the people bought her app thinking that the profits will be going to a good cause.

Gibson had promised a week’s earnings to a family whose child had brain tumor.

“She did this to encourage members of the public to buy her product (The Whole Pantry app), to generate income for herself and her company, and generally to promote herself and her commercial activities,” the judge said.

“She consciously chose to use the terminal illness of a little boy in this way.”

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Posted by fatimaarshad on Sep 29 2017. Filed under Latest News, World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.