
Episode 6: Belle Gibson (Cancer Wellness Scammer)
06/28/20 • 43 min
Belle Gibson was followed and endorsed by holistic medicine practitioners, food as medicine believers, and cancer survivors alike. Belle had created the wildly popular The Whole Pantry blog describing how she had cured herself of multiple cancers.
It was estimated Belle and her company were worth millions. So how did Belle become worth exactly $0 in 2015? And where is Belle today? Find out today on the Controversial Figures Podcast.
Connect with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FiguresPodcast
Episode Sources:
- Amazon The Whole Pantry Book https://www.amazon.com/The-Whole-Pantry/dp/0718180410
- BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-41423491
Brisbane Times https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/what-we-haven-t-learned-from-belle-gibson-20200126-p53utm.html - Donelly, Beau and Nick Toscano, The Woman Who Fooled the World: Belle Gibson's Cancer Con, and the Darkness at the Heart of the Wellness Industry, 2017.
- Health Goop Jade Egg Suit https://www.health.com/condition/sexual-health/jade-egg-goop
- News AU https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/belle-gibson-has-been-adopted-by-ethiopian-community-in-melbourne/news-story/faef622ee9d2b5bee4e4a9518420c315
- The Guardian Articles
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jun/20/cancer-con-artist-belle-gibson-cries-while-in-court-over-unpaid-410000-fine
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/apr/17/cancer-con-artist-belle-gibson-to-face-court-over-failure-to-pay-410000-penalty - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_Gibson
- Music: The 6 is Silent by Skyjelly
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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Belle Gibson was followed and endorsed by holistic medicine practitioners, food as medicine believers, and cancer survivors alike. Belle had created the wildly popular The Whole Pantry blog describing how she had cured herself of multiple cancers.
It was estimated Belle and her company were worth millions. So how did Belle become worth exactly $0 in 2015? And where is Belle today? Find out today on the Controversial Figures Podcast.
Connect with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FiguresPodcast
Episode Sources:
- Amazon The Whole Pantry Book https://www.amazon.com/The-Whole-Pantry/dp/0718180410
- BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-41423491
Brisbane Times https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/what-we-haven-t-learned-from-belle-gibson-20200126-p53utm.html - Donelly, Beau and Nick Toscano, The Woman Who Fooled the World: Belle Gibson's Cancer Con, and the Darkness at the Heart of the Wellness Industry, 2017.
- Health Goop Jade Egg Suit https://www.health.com/condition/sexual-health/jade-egg-goop
- News AU https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/belle-gibson-has-been-adopted-by-ethiopian-community-in-melbourne/news-story/faef622ee9d2b5bee4e4a9518420c315
- The Guardian Articles
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jun/20/cancer-con-artist-belle-gibson-cries-while-in-court-over-unpaid-410000-fine
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/apr/17/cancer-con-artist-belle-gibson-to-face-court-over-failure-to-pay-410000-penalty - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_Gibson
- Music: The 6 is Silent by Skyjelly
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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Previous Episode

Episode 5: Martin Shkreli (Pharma Bro)
By his early 30s, Martin Shkreli had held a variety of impressive roles; he was the co-founder of multiple successful hedge funds, CEO of biotechnology firm Retrophin; and founder and CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals. So, how did young Martin Shkreli, with no formal training in chemistry and a Bachelor's Degree in business administration, become a pharmaceutical CEO and have an estimated worth by Fortune magazine in 2016 of $45 million?
And how did Martin Shkreli only a few years later become a convicted felon worth practically nothing; referred to by the media as "Pharma Bro" and "the most hated man in America"?
And whatever happened to that unreleased Wu Tang Clan Album Martin Shkreli bought for $2 million? Find out today on the Controversial Figures Podcast.
Connect with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FiguresPodcast
Episode Sources:
- CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/07/retrophin-paid-martin-shkreli-to-settle-all-legal-claims.html
- NetFlix Dirty Money, Drug Short episode
- Vanity Fair https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/12/martin-shkreli-pharmaceuticals-ceo-interview
- Wikipedia
- Martin Shkreli https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Shkreli
- Naked Short Sell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naked_short_selling
- Once Upon a Time in Shaolin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once_Upon_a_Time_in_Shaolin
- Xconomy https://xconomy.com/san-diego/2019/08/22/retrophin-sinks-as-drug-pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-co-invented-fails/
- Music: The 6 is Silent by Skyjelly
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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Next Episode

Episode 7: Lance Armstrong Part 1 (Tour de France Doper)
Lance Armstrong was regarded as an elite cycling superstar. Between the years of 1999 to 2005, Lance had obtained seven consecutive Tour de France wins - something no one has ever achieved before, or since. He was considered by many to be the best athlete in his sport at the time.
And even more stunning? Just 2 years prior to first of these consecutive wins, Lance had been diagnosed with testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain; and not only did Lance survive, but seemingly thrived post treatment.
He went on to create the Lance Armstrong Foundation - raising hundreds of millions of dollars from the sale of yellow Livestrong bracelets. Those little yellow bracelets became a ubiquitous feature on the wrists of many in America and around the world for cancer awareness and in support of the Texan hometown hero, Lance Armstrong.
So, how would Lance, only a few years later, become stripped of all of his achievements from August 1998 onward, including his seven Tour de France titles....and be labeled as a disgrace in the sports world? Find out today on the Controversial Figures Podcast.
Connect with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FiguresPodcast
Episode Sources:
- CNN Lance Armstrong's Demise https://www.cnn.com/2012/10/22/sport/lance-armstrong-profile-cycling-usada/index.html
- ESPN The Rise and Fall of Lance Armstrong https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/29177242/the-rise-fall-lance-armstrong-need-know-watching-lance
- ESPN 'LANCE' Documentary https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/29209116/lance-part-1-how-watch-stream-espn-lance-armstrong-documentary
- Wikipedia Lance Armstrong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_Armstrong
- Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Ferrari
- Music: The 6 is Silent by Skyjelly
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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Controversial Figures - Episode 6: Belle Gibson (Cancer Wellness Scammer)
Transcript
00:00
Belle Gibson was followed and endorsed by holistic medicine practitioners, food as medicine believers, and cancer survivors alike. Belle had created the wildly popular Whole Pantry blog describing how she had cured herself of multiple cancers. She looked the picture of health as a new mom in her early 20s despite her terminal cancer diagnosis.
00:26
Belle's online story of health improvement through nontraditional, holistic, whole food measures was so popular, she soon
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