The “Apple Cider Vinegar” scam story revolves around Belle Gibson, an Australian wellness influencer who fabricated a narrative of curing her terminal brain cancer through diet and alternative medicine. Here are the full details:
Background
- Rise to Fame: In 2009, Belle Gibson claimed she had inoperable brain cancer and began sharing her journey on social media platforms like Instagram. She gained a massive following by promoting holistic lifestyle choices as a cure for her supposed illness[1][3].
- Business Ventures: By 2013, Gibson launched The Whole Pantry app, which became successful. She also authored a cookbook by the same name in 2014[1][5].
Fabrications Exposed
- Investigative Journalism: In 2015, journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano from The Age exposed Gibson’s charity fraud. This led to further investigations revealing that she had never been diagnosed with cancer[2][3].
- Confession: In June 2015, Gibson admitted that none of her claims were true during an interview with Australian Women’s Weekly[1][5].
Legal Consequences
- Court Ruling: In March 2017, the Federal Court of Australia found Gibson guilty of misleading and deceptive conduct under consumer law. She was fined A$410,000 (£205,000)[2][7].
- Unpaid Fines: As of late 2023 and into early reports in February 2024, Gibson still hadn’t paid the fine or its accrued penalties and interest[6][7].
Aftermath
- Loss of Reputation: Following the exposure of her deceitful claims about both health issues and charitable donations, major brands like Apple pulled their support for The Whole Pantry app[4]. Penguin Publishing also removed her cookbook from circulation.
Netflix Series ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’
- The series dramatizes Belle Gibson’s story but is described as “true-ish,” meaning it takes creative liberties while drawing inspiration from real events[4]. It explores themes related to online fame and deception.
Overall, Belle Gibson’s case highlights concerns about misinformation spread by wellness influencers affecting critical health decisions among followers[4].
Citations:
[1] https://tribune.com.pk/story/2527071/the-true-story-behind-netflixs-apple-cider-vinegar-fake-health-guru-exposed
[2] https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/apple-cider-vinegar-true-story-belle-gibson-netflix-b2693892.html
[3] https://people.com/apple-cider-vinegar-true-story-8786382
[4] https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/apple-cider-vinegar-true-story-rcna190421
[5] https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20250204-apple-cider-vinegar-how-instagram-wellness-guru-belle-gibson-faked-cancer
[6] https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/apple-cider-vinegar-netflix-true-story-belle-gibson-b2692863.html
[7] https://www.biography.com/movies-tv/a63655393/apple-cider-vinegar-true-story-belle-gibson
[8] https://ew.com/apple-cider-vinegar-true-story-netflix-8784929
[9] https://time.com/7213216/apple-cider-vinegar-true-story-netflix/
[10] https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2025/02/06/apple-cider-vinegar-review-netflix/78177474007/
