Cancer con woman Belle Gibson finally fronts court over failing to pay a $410k fine for fleecing Australians - as her lawyer says she 'can't afford' ongoing legal fees (despite enjoying a recent African safari)
- Belle Gibson has arrived at the Federal Court in Melbourne flanked by reporters
- Dressed in black and dark sunglasses, Gibson said nothing as she entered
- Her barrister claims Gibson can only afford to pay for his appearance today
- The court has been supplied a bundle of documents
Dressed head-to-toe in black, cancer con artist Belle Gibson has finally fronted court to answer questions about her failure to pay a $410,000 fine for duping Australians.
The fake wellness guru was summoned last month to appear in the Federal Court on Tuesday for examination of her financial affairs following her non-compliance.
She has already been warned she faces jail time for failing to pay the penalty, imposed on her in 2017 by Federal Court Justice Debra Mortimer, for five breaches of consumer laws.
Cancer faker Belle Gibson arrives at the Federal Court in Melbourne on Tuesday morning to explain why she hasn't paid back more than $420,000 owed to Australians she conned
The fake wellness guru was summoned last month to appear in the Federal Court on Tuesday for examination of her financial affairs following her non-compliance
Reporters converged on Gibson as she arrived at the Federal Court in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Bombarded with questions, Gibson said nothing as she made her way into the court house.
However, she was overheard declaring the interest in her case was 'sad'.
'I think it's sad that the media have been reduced to covering stories like this they should be covering more important things,' she said.
Inside, her barrister Andrew Tregardh told the court he hoped the matter could be dealt with today.
'My client doesn't have unlimited resources to pay for lawyers to assist her in this endeavour,' he said. 'She can't afford to come back.'
Gibson has provided the court with a folder of bank statements in answer to a summons by the court.
However barristers acting for the consumer watchdog said it would not agree to have the matter finalised without properly reading all materials supplied.
'Of course my friend would say there is nothing to say here,' barrister Elle Nikou-Madalin said.
In February, Gibson came under fire after she allegedly spent $15,000 on a luxury African safari instead of paying her fine.
Gibson was spotted by reporters at Melbourne Airport after a five-week jaunt to East Africa with her fiancé Clive Rothwell and nine-year-old son Oliver.
In happier times: Belle Gibson accepts her 2014 Social Media Star of the year award at the Cosmopolitan Fun Fearless Female Awards. Gibson had pretended to cure herself from cancer with bogus claims of healthy living
Gibson had claimed she had brain cancer and healed herself with natural remedies, including diet and alternative therapies.
She also lied to well-meaning consumers that she would donate money from her Whole Pantry app and book sales to various charities, including a boy with inoperable brain cancer.
She was just 21 in 2013 when she launched her Whole Pantry mobile app, which was reportedly downloaded 200,000 times within its first month.
Apple went so far as to offer that the app be made a default pre-installed inclusion on the Apple Watch. It was even included in promotional material.
Although Gibson received $440,500 from sales of her app and book, she only donated about $10,000 to charity.
Belle Gibson used to be a social media darling and often took to Facebook and Instagram to glam it up.
Justice Mortimer warned Gibson in November failure to pay the penalty would make her liable for jail, property seizures or other punishment.
The judge scathingly described the fraudster as having a 'relentless obsession with herself' when she handed down her penalty in September, 2017.
Justice Mortimer said Gibson not only tried to garner sympathy for her own claimed cancer, but promoted herself as generous and selfless so people would buy her products.
The judge said her failure to apologise or attend any of her court hearings demonstrated how she placed her own interests ahead of others.
Belle Gibson's Whole Pantry app was heavily promoted by Apple. The app was dumped when the truth of Gibson's lies became public. Gibson had tried to convince Australians she had defeated cancer with her healthy diet
Ms Nikou-Madalin said Consumer Affairs Victoria hopes forensic accountants could examine Gibson's documents before the matter returns to court.
'I understand Ms Gibson may not want to face the media again, but that interest comes second,' Ms Nikou Madalin said.
But Mr Tregardh said it was 'outrageous' for the matter to be put off and that Gibson would seek costs should it be adjourned.
He claimed the consumer watchdog could have requested Gibson's paperwork - about two years of bank statements - anytime it wanted.
But Ms Nikou-Madalin said Gibson had hardly been helpful during the process.
'We didn't know until we rocked up today what she was going to produce, if anything at all.'
The hearing continues.
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