In the wake of fraud allegations against The Whole Pantry app creator Belle Gibson, Apple has removed the app from the App Store, as well as removing it from its featured Apple Watch apps page.
A report by The Sydney Morning Herald says healthy-living celebrity Gibson has been accused of making false claims about her cancer diagnosis, and has failed to donate thousands of dollars collected during fundraisers to their intended charities.
Apple had featured The Whole Pantry Apple Watch app on its website, although today the app has gone missing. MacRumors reports the iOS app appears to have been pulled from App Stores worldwide, as a spot check of various international storefronts show no evidence of the app.
Apple has yet to comment on the matter.
The Herald noted that Gibson was one of a small number of outside developers to be flown in to Apple to work with the Watch before its release. Gibson was supposed to make an announcement at Apple’s March 9 press event, but neither she, nor her app made an appearance.
Melbourne resident Gibson rose to fame on reports that she had healed herself of terminal brain cancer without submitting to traditional treatments. Both Gibson and her company have been the subject of close scrutiny after a media investigation revealed her failure to hand over thousands of dollars in fundraising proceeds.
The Herald notes that close friends have said they did not believe Ms Gibson’s diagnoses, and medical experts say they find her story of multiple cancers implausible.
The Whole Pantry’s official Facebook page has been disabled, and Ms Gibson’s private Instagram account has been wiped clean of content.
