Last week, I finished the Netflix limited series Apple Cider Vinegar, which told the story of Belle Gibson, the infamous Australian influencer who convinced her 200,000 Instagram followers that she healed her terminal brain cancer through healthy eating. As I devoured the six episode series, I found myself thinking, this can’t be real. There is no way SO MANY people believed this girl. But, despite numerous public outbursts, a complete lack of medical evidence of any cancer, and some damning cases of charity fraud, Belle Gibson managed to fool the world and build a wellness empire. For those just as shocked as I was, here’s how she did it.
The Birth of a Lie
Belle Gibson has never been a stranger to stretching the truth. She was known to classmates as a pathological liar and storyteller. She was only 14 when she began fabricating the narrative that she had brain cancer through internet posts. Her claims only escalated from there, going as far to describe how she died for several minutes on the operating table. At 19, Gibson gave birth to her son, Oli, with her then partner. This led her to motherhood chat rooms, where she spun more tales about being a young mother diagnosed with cancer. Up until this point, Gibson flew under the radar with her dishonesty. It was only until she joined Instagram that her lies started gaining more and more traction.
Healing Journey
Belle began reinventing herself in 2012. She joined the newly invented Instagram under the name “Healing Belle,” where she began to polish her story. She started to claim that she was a cancer survivor that rejected modern medicine in favor of alternative treatments and healthy eating. While Apple Cider Vinegar exaggerated Belle’s follower count and popularity, it is true that she amassed an impressive following of 200,000. Fans hailed her as a survivor and a hero.
The Whole Pantry
In 2013, Gibson’s popularity skyrocketed with her creation of The Whole Pantry, a wellness app dedicated to vegan and gluten-free friendly recipes. The app became an instant hit, and was even named the second best iPhone app of that year. She even signed a book deal with Penguin to turn the app into a cookbook. The Whole Pantry was the absolute height of Gibson’s popularity, and it would take 2 more years for a reckoning to come.
Belle’s Downfall
Aside from her wellness recipes, Gibson also garnered praise for her fundraising and dedication to charity work. At one point, she even pledged 100% of The Whole Pantry earnings to the Schwartz family, whose son was battling an incurable brain tumor. But, much like her cancer diagnosis, there was no real evidence that she was donating to any charities or causes.
It was actually Gibson’s personal friend, Chanelle McAuliffe, who brought her acts of charity fraud to light. McAuliffe, who confronted Gibson about fabricating her cancer diagnosis in 2014, went to the newspaper The Age in hopes of exposing her dishonesty. Because they legally could not accuse her of faking medical records, the outlet instead focused on Belle Gibson’s charity fraud. Belle quickly began scrambling to defend herself. She did two interviews in the wake of the scandal, where she maintained that she truly convinced herself that she was dying of a brain tumor. But, the damage was done to her reputation; her book and app were both pulled from circulation.
The Aftermath
The Whole Pantry shut down in 2016. Belle Gibson was found guilty of misleading and deceptive conduct in 2017 and was fined over $400,000. She faced trial after the fine was left unpaid for two years, and as a result the amount skyrocketed to over $1 million. Gibson’s home has been raided twice since her trial in an attempt to collect the money. Although it has not been confirmed, it is speculated that Gibson and her partner Clive Rothwell are no longer together.
In a bizarre attempt to change her image, Belle changed her name to Sabontu and attempted to join the Oromo–and Ethiopian community in Melbourne. Once community leaders found out about Belle’s past, she was asked to leave the group.
Whether or not Belle Gibson truly believed her delusions will likely remain a mystery. But, the story of Belle Gibson will serve as a cautionary tale for internet users, reminding them that everything isn’t always what it seems.
Sources: