- Tricked friends and family out of their money
- Created a ‘Stand With Tara’ campaign that went global
- Has been called ‘despicable’ by magistrate
Kickboxer Tara Michelle Enoka has been jailed after a magistrate branded her ‘despicable’ for faking a cancer battle to swindle donations.
The Perth mother-of-four tricked friends, family and strangers into giving her more than $37,000 by pretending she was gravely ill.
Kickboxer Tara Michelle Enoka was sentenced to 13 months in prison, with 11 months suspended, after admitting she lied about having both breast and cervical cancer.
She will serve two months behind bars after the Joondalup Magistrates Court heard she tricked family, friends and strangers worldwide into giving her more than $37,000 through a GoFundMe campaign.
In a 2021 video posted to the ‘Stand With Tara’ channel, Enoka claimed she needed life-saving treatment so she could be around for her children.
‘We are raising the money to help pay for the treatments that I need to potentially save my life,’ she said in the clip, which has been viewed more than 2,000 times.
Enoka’s 2021 GoFundMe appeal claimed she had breast and cervical cancer, raising more than $37,000 in donations
The Perth mother-of-four was sentenced to 13 months in prison, with 11 months suspended, serving two behind bars
In a YouTube video, she pleaded for support, telling viewers she needed treatment to watch her children grow
Magistrate Raelene Johnston told the court Enoka’s calculated lies undermined legitimate fundraisers for Australians fighting genuine life-threatening illnesses
Her plea for help sparked global sympathy, but it was later revealed she had no cancer at all.
Enoka was even seen competing in a Bangkok kickboxing tournament just months before her arrest, appearing fit and healthy.
The case dragged through the courts after repeated delays, with Enoka at one stage telling magistrates she did not know how to repay the stolen money.
She had earlier pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of possessing unlawfully obtained property, down from fraud.
A GoFundMe spokesperson confirmed all donors were refunded in June 2024 under the platform’s Giving Guarantee.
Magistrate Raelene Johnston described Enoka’s actions as ‘despicable’ and ‘deliberate’, highlighting the betrayal of trust and the calculated effort to mislead.
The magistrate said her actions undermined genuine fundraisers for people battling real illnesses.
Enoka broke down in tears as the sentence was handed down. She was taken straight into custody, missing her youngest daughter’s fifth birthday the following day.
The court heard she had presented herself publicly as a fighter and a mother in need, while privately maintaining her sporting career.
Enoka’s lawyer declined to comment outside court, leaving her fall from grace to speak for itself.
