Belle Gibson faked cancer and built a wellness empire on a lie. Discover the shocking truth behind her elaborate scam.
Another day, another cancer scammer—but Belle Gibson took it to a whole new level. Not only did she fake having brain cancer, but she also used that lie to build an entire wellness empire, convincing people they could heal themselves with proper diet and natural remedies. And people believed her. They followed her advice, clung to her story, and held on to hope. After all, if Belle Gibson could beat cancer without surgery, chemotherapy, or any medical intervention, why couldn’t they?
Except Belle never beat cancer. She never had it in the first place. Real people put their trust in her and were harmed because of her lies. It took years before investigative journalists began to unravel her elaborate ruse and expose the truth to the public.
The real Belle Gibson
I have to admit, I didn’t know much about Belle Gibson until I watched the Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar, starring Kaitlyn Dever as Belle. The show offers a fictional take on the true story, and when it was over, I was hooked—I needed to know more. Faking cancer isn’t exactly a new scam (anyone else still thinking about Scamanda?), but Belle built an entire wellness empire on the back of her lie, and she didn’t do it alone. What makes her story particularly fascinating is social media’s role in her rise—and the people who helped her along the way.
Below, 60 Minutes Australia dives into the real story behind Belle Gibson, trying to answer the big questions: why and how did she do it? The video is a must-watch if only to see Belle try to explain herself in past interviews. If you’re curious about the real story behind the Netflix show, check it out:
