- Influencer MianBaobao told followers she'd been diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer three years ago.
- She reportedly shared updates on her cancer treatments with hashtags like "#cancerfightingdaily."
A popular Taiwan fitness influencer admitted to lying about having late-stage pancreatic cancer.
The influencer, who goes by MianBaobao (Bread Bao) online, has deleted all of her older posts, according to the South China Morning Post, leaving only an apology that admitted she had been lying about her illness.
"To all the family members, friends, fans, and netizens who have cared about me, supported me, and cheered me on, I want to apologize," a translation of the apology, which was originally in Mandarin, reads in part.
MianBaobao, who has more than 11,000 followers, first announced her cancer diagnosis three years ago, the South China Morning Post reported. Her online profile described her as "a woman who aspires to be a non-professional weightlifting athlete and a professional cancer fighter," according to the outlet.
She regularly documented her weightlifting journey, but also shared her cancer treatments, posting images of IVs, hospital scenes, and hair loss, according to the SCMP, and used hashtags like #cancerfightingdaily on her posts.
According to the SCMP, a man who said he was her ex-husband became suspicious about her diagnosis because, he said, she would never allow him to accompany her to treatments. "Every time she went for treatment, she insisted that her family drop her off at the entrance to the hospital and insisted on seeing the doctor alone," he told the outlet, alleging the images she posted were actually sourced from the internet.
"I did the last thing a person should do. I lied about cancer and lied to everyone for three years. I'm sorry to anyone who ever gave me a little kindness," her apology continued. "I know I deserve to die for the things I've done. And now I need to pay the price for the choices I've made."
She also apologized to the companies that had made sponsorship deals with her. "If there's a company that requires me to fork out a sum for compensation, I will do so. But I know there's damage that has been done that money cannot compensate for. All I can do is apologize again."
She ended the apology by saying she had "been the worst example to people, and hurt everyone who loves me, and who I love."
MianBaobao did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
MianBaobao is among several influencers who have faked cancer for either social media or financial gain. In 2015, Australian health influencer Belle Gibson admitted that she had lied about having terminal brain cancer and curing it with a self-developed diet plan she marketed as an app.
And in 2021, a Twitch streamer known as MsDirtyBird apologized for lying to her followers about having lung and brain cancer. The streamer had raised funds based on the faked cancer and told Insider she "started off lying as a young kid" and "lies became second nature to" her.
More recently, TikToker Maddie Russo was arrested and charged with theft after raising more than $37,000 via a GoFundMe, claiming she'd been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and stage 2 pancreatic cancer. Russo said she had a "football size tumor that wrapped around her spine."
@scrubhacks Replying to @tlrobs the biotin… duh #maddierusso #maddierussofakecancer #cancersucks #lyingaboutcancer #munchausen #nurselife #nursestory #nursenews #greenscreenvideo ♬ original sound - ScrubHacks | Lindsey, RN
But her TikTok viewers became suspicious when they noticed the medical equipment she would often surround herself with in videos didn't look right. Users were also skeptical of Russo's claims that she was able to keep her hair because she was using biotin supplements and taking oral chemotherapy pills in lieu of intravenous treatments.