Annabelle Natalie Gibson, known online as Belle Gibson, became a controversial figure for faking her health conditions to her million Instagram followers and profiting from the situation. However, Netflix’s recent adaptation of her story has raised queries about her whereabouts.
The 33-year-old initially claimed that she had undergone multiple surgeries on her heart and had momentarily lost consciousness on the operating table. Gibson ran with the plot and added that doctors diagnosed her with terminal brain cancer.
Through her social media, Gibson detailed that she had four months to live but was miraculously saved by a healthy and organic lifestyle. The influencer soon began sharing whole food recipes and launched a website.
Moreover, she collaborated with Apple, launched an app for her recipes called Whole Food Pantry, and began working with the company to develop a version accessible from Apple watches.
Here in Australia we had Belle Gibson who lied about having brain cancer. She was praised for her “bravery”, held up as an example for all cancer sufferers & won awards for being better than “lesser mortals”. Turned out to be one long con. Seems every country has a cancer con.🙄 pic.twitter.com/sblruAkzEN
— Zandi Sussex (@ZandiSussex) June 17, 2024
Within the first month of its release, the app received over 200,000 downloads and was voted the company’s Best Food and Drink App in 2013. According to sources, Gibson had made over $1 million from selling the app and its book.
Similarly, the Whole Food Pantry trademark was registered under Gibson’s ex-boyfriend Clive Rothwell. Rothwell was supportive during her business as he acted as a stepfather to Gibson’s son Oliver.
Further, he paid most of the rent on their shared home and saved enough money to take Gibson and her son on a month-long trip to Africa. However, as Gibson’s online persona began getting questions, Rothwell parted ways and started living with his new partner.
Before Gibson’s false claims were discovered, she received a Cosmopolitan honor with a Fun Fearless Female award in the social media category. During that time, Gibson wasn’t aware of the legal struggles awaiting her.
Authorities believed Belle Gibson was delusional about her condition and wanted public validation!
Gibson made her followers believe that she had blood, spleen, liver, and kidney cancer in addition to her brain condition. She detailed that the incurable disease was the result of the reaction to the Gardasil cancer vaccine.
Additionally, she preached that her cancer had been stable for years with no growth due to the benefits of exercise, healthy eating, and holistic medicines.
Throughout her digital career, Gibson claimed she had donated considerable revenue from her business to cancer funds. These claims led to an investigation, and authorities examined her financial records.
Moreover, accusations arose that Gibson had failed to deliver the promised $300,00 donations to a charity. Many of her victims came forward and mentioned that she used their personal stories to profit from the media.
Later, in a 2015 interview with The Guardian, Gibson revealed her true colors and announced that she had been faking her health condition. Soon, her online empire fell apart as she sought sympathy from her followers.
Gibson added, “None of it’s true. I think speaking out was the responsible thing to do. Above anything, I would like people to say, ‘Ok, she’s human.’” Previously, Gibson failed to show medical reports or any proof to back up her cancer claims on camera.
The court fined Gibson $410,000 for falsely claiming charitable donations, but she didn’t pay it until May 21, 2021. The influencer claimed she was in debt, and her acceptable amount ultimately exceeded half a million dollars.
Additonal Information
- After taking legal action, Belle Gibson claimed that an Ethiopian group called the Oromo had adopted her. She began posting pictures wearing their traditional dress and changed her name to Saontu. However, the community’s representative claimed that Gibson wasn’t a registered member.
- The influencer’s last known location was her apartment in Northcote, Auckland. After a police raid on her place, Gibson shifted to an undisclosed location with her son.
- Kaitlyn Dever will portray Gibson’s story in a six-episode Netflix series called Apple Cider Vinegar, which will be available on the platform in 2025.
