Annabelle Natalie Gibson (also known as Belle Gibson) has been ordered to pay $410,000 after the Federal Court of Australia found that she and her company, Inkerman Road Nominees Pty Ltd (ACN: 164 850 748) - in liquidation, engaged in unconscionable conduct relating to the sale of Ms Gibson’s book and app, The Whole Pantry, in contravention of the Australian Consumer Law (Victoria) (ACL (Vic)).
The court found that Ms Gibson, 25, of Northcote, and her company contravened the ACL (Vic) in relation to claims that proceeds would be donated from:
- the app launch and sales
- the company’s earnings, and
- a Mother’s Day event.
The Federal Court has previously ordered that Ms Gibson refrain from making claims, in connection with the development, sale or promotion of health and wellbeing advice, that she:
- had been diagnosed with brain cancer at any time prior to 24 May 2016
- was given four months to live, and/or
- had taken, then rejected, conventional cancer treatments in favour of embarking on a quest to heal herself naturally.
The court also ordered Ms Gibson to pay Consumer Affairs Victoria’s costs of $30,000.
The court also previously found that Ms Gibson and Inkerman Road Nominees engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct as a result of claims that:
- Ms Gibson had been diagnosed with brain cancer in 2009; only had months to live; and had taken, then rejected, conventional cancer treatments and chosen to try to heal herself naturally
- a portion of all revenue from sales of The Whole Pantry would be donated to charities or good causes, when this was not the case.
Download the full documents:
Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria v Gibson (judgment) (PDF, 52KB)
Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria v Gibson (orders) (PDF, 183KB)