By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS
DISGRACED wellness blogger Belle Gibson has been taken to court by Consumer Affairs Victoria, accused of allegedly fraudulent fund-raising activities.
One of the groups Ms Gibson reportedly promised fund-raising money to is the Schwarz family from Upwey.
Consumer Affairs Victoria appeared in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last week to demand Ms Gibson proof that she made charitable donations from fund-raising and answer questions about her health.
Ms Gibson did not appear in court, but has previously claimed to give away “almost all profits“ from her business and two fund-raising drives in which she purportedly raised thousands of dollars in donations.
Ms Gibson was accused of getting close to the Schwarz family to allegedly give her story of illness more credibility and of raising money for the family that they never received.
Eight-year-old Joshua Schwarz was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in 2013, the same kind of aggressive cancer Ms Gibson claimed to have had.
Ms Gibson claimed to have raised funds to assist the family through sales of her health and wellness app, The Whole Pantry.
It has been reported that the Schwarz family never knew about the fund-raising and hadn’t received any donations from Ms Gibson.
Ms Gibson has until 9 July to answer questions put forward by Consumer Affairs.
