Shannen Findlay
Legal

Why she won't pay: Cancer fraudster Belle Gibson’s "financial crisis"

Belle Gibson has told the court she is in a financial crisis and drowning under the weight of over $170,000 in personal debt.

The cancer fraudster has written in a letter to the Federal Court of Australia that she has been unable to pay a cent back of her $500,000 fine to taxpayers for years of lying about having a terminal brain illness and saying eating healthy cured her cancer.

In the letter, Gibson explained: “I am indebted to BMW Finance resulting from a personal guarantee in excess of $50,000.

“I have a fully drawn credit card with ANZ owing $30,000 and another personal debt exceeding $90,000, all of which I cannot pay.

“Consequently, I am not able to pay the amounts ordered by Justice Mortimer [Federal Court judge presiding over Ms. Gibson’s case].”

Gibson revealed she hasn't got a job and receives the parenting payment from Centrelink to care for her son. 

Gibson ended her letter, written 14 November 2017, by asking the government to approach her accountant directly in the future, “given my current health”. 

Her original $410,000 fine has ballooned past $500,000 due to interest. 

Tags:
belle gibson, finance, legal, cancer, fraud