Belle Gibson was an early social media health influencer, with a best-selling book and a popular wellness app. She drew attention after claiming she had several forms of malignant cancer, and was treating them with alternative therapies and diet. When Gibson told the world her holistic approach was keeping her alive and well despite her diagnoses, followers and readers put their faith in her guidance. But when journalists discovered Gibson had faked her illnesses and wasn’t truthful about her charitable contributions, the fall out implicated not only her, but also a leading publishing house and one of the world’s largest tech companies.
The scandal is chronicled in the book The Woman Who Fooled The World: The True Story of Fake Wellness Guru Belle Gibson, which serves as the inspiration for the dramatized Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar starring Kaitlyn Dever. How did the real Belle Gibson build her empire on a bed of lies? And more importantly: why did she do it?
In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews authors and investigative journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano.
SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Apple Cider Vinegar yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on.
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