consumer affairs victoria

Belle Gibson Ignores Court for Third Time.

July 12, 2016 Leave a Comment

Belle Gibson has today, for the third time, failed to show up at court.

She had been given until today to file a defence against the Consumer Affairs Victoria civil action against her in the Federal Court of Australia. This was after twice failing to appear in court at earlier hearings or file a defence to the action.

Now that Gibson has failed to show up at court a third time it seems clear that she has no intention of fighting the serious allegations that she faces.

As of now Consumer Affairs Victoria may seek to have Belle Gibson held in contempt of court, or even have the matter heard ex-parte – which means the whole case may simply just proceed without her.

After ignoring the last court appearance, Belle Gibson was photographed at Melbourne’s Ice Bar. She is pictured sharing a drink without any look of worry or concern that she may be facing hefty fines or other court imposed sanctions.

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It was earlier this year that Consumer Affairs Victoria launched legal action against Belle Gibson. The alleged contraventions of Australian Consumer Law relate to false claims by Gibson and her company concerning her diagnosis with terminal brain cancer and her claims that natural remedies cured her.

Her lies about donations of proceeds to charities are also among the alleged breaches of the law.

After today’s non appearance by Belle Gibson things may just get worse for the cancer con woman.

Belle Gibson’s Deadline

July 10, 2016 Leave a Comment

Belle Gibson has reached her deadline to take part in Federal Court proceedings being brought against her by Consumer Affairs Victoria.

Last month in a hearing at the Federal Court in Melbourne, Justice Debbie Mortimer issued a court order giving Ms Gibson until July 10 to take part in civil proceedings brought against her by Consumer Affairs Victoria.

The day has arrived and only time will tell if Belle Gibson will participate and defend herself against claims that she defrauded consumers using fake cancer claims and dangerous health claims which had the potential to kill people who believed her lies.

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Just a few weeks ago, while Channel 7 was outside Belle Gibson’s Northcote home seeking to question the cancer scammer about her deception, Belle Gibson called the police with an unfounded complaint that the media was harassing her. It seems that Belle Gibson is fine with the media if they are fawning all over her or worse paying her for her story.

In any case the deadline for Belle Gibson is upon her and she must now decide whether she will take part in the court proceedings being brought against her. If she doesn’t she faces massive fines and orders to make an apology. If she does, it will be intriguing to see how this practiced con woman will twist her story yet again in an attempt to avoid justice.

Consumer Affairs launches Belle Gibson Prosecution

May 6, 2016 Leave a Comment

The following is a media release by Consumer Affairs Victoria

Consumer Affairs Victoria is preparing to take legal action against Inkerman Road Nominees Pty Ltd (in liquidation) ACN 164 850 748 (formerly known as Belle Gibson Pty Ltd) and its sole director, Ms Annabelle Gibson, following an in-depth investigation into alleged contraventions of the Australian Consumer Law and Australian Consumer Law (Victoria).

The alleged contraventions relate to false claims by Ms Gibson and her company concerning her diagnosis with terminal brain cancer, her rejection of conventional cancer treatments in favour of natural remedies, and the donation of proceeds to various charities.

Consumer Affairs Victoria Director Simon Cohen has applied for leave to commence proceedings against Inkerman Road Nominees Pty Ltd (in liquidation) in the Federal Court of Australia. Leave is required because the company is in liquidation.

If leave is granted, Mr Cohen intends to commence proceedings against Inkerman Road Nominees and Ms Gibson.

Mr Cohen added he was pleased that Penguin Australia Pty Ltd, publishers of The Whole Pantry book, had willingly co-operated with a concurrent investigation that examined whether the company had also contravened the ACL (Vic).

Mr Cohen said Penguin had agreed to an enforceable undertaking acknowledging that it had not required Ms Gibson to substantiate her claims prior to the book’s publication.

Included in the terms of the enforceable undertaking is that Penguin will make a $30,000 donation to the Victorian Consumer Law Fund.

Penguin must also enhance its compliance, education and training program with a specific focus on ensuring all claims about medical conditions are substantiated, and that statements about natural therapies are accompanied by a prominent warning notice.

“This is an important step in ensuring that consumers receive only verified information and are not deceived, particularly where serious matters of health and medical treatment are concerned,” Mr Cohen said.

See the full media release here

Belle Gibson facing million dollar fines and jail time

May 6, 2016 Leave a Comment

Cancer conwoman Belle Gibson faces more than $1 million in penalties for profiting off false cancer claims and defrauding charities.

The 24-year-old orchestrated a global health scam that gave false hope to seriously ill people and fooled multinational companies including Apple and Penguin.

In the most significant action taken against the disgraced “wellness” blogger, Victoria’s consumer watchdog on Friday launched legal proceedings in the Federal Court that pave the way for a prosecution against Ms Gibson’s company.

The action is in response to Ms Gibson’s false claims of beating terminal brain cancer by eschewing conventional medicine, and the unlawful fundraising appeals run by The Whole Pantry founder in 2013 and 2014.

In separate action, Penguin Publishing will have to pay $30,000 for failing to fact-check Ms Gibson’s book, The Whole Pantry, in which she claims to have cured herself with a healthy lifestyle. The publisher will also be forced to include “prominent warning notice” on all future books that contain claims about natural therapies.

Consumer Affairs Victoria said the legal action followed an in-depth investigation into alleged breaches of Australian Consumer Law. CAV director Simon Cohen has applied for leave to commence proceedings against Inkerman Road Nominees Pty Ltd in the Federal Court of Australia.

Source: Conwoman Belle Gibson faces $1m fines over cancer scam fundraising fraud

Investigations in to Belle Gibson deepen as Consumer Affairs probes further.

November 13, 2015 1 Comment

Belle Gibson Faces Consumer Affairs Investigation

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Consumer Affairs Victoria has requested more information from cancer charlatan Belle Gibson as its investigation into allegations of fundraising fraud at her wellness empire intensifies.

The consumer watchdog began investigating Ms Gibson in March after it was revealed she faked cancer to market her The Whole Pantry business.

It is also looking into claims that several charities had not received thousands of dollars in promised donations via the sale of her award-winning health and wellness app.