A Perth kickboxer and mother of four was sentenced to jail this month after admitting she fabricated a cancer diagnosis to solicit donations through a global crowdfunding campaign, court records and family members say.
Tara Michelle Enoka was handed a 13-month jail term, with 11 months suspended, at Joondalup Magistrates Court after admitting she had misled friends, family and strangers into giving more than A$37,000 to a GoFundMe fundraiser called "Stand With Tara." Magistrate Raelene Johnston called the conduct "despicable," saying it undermined legitimate fundraisers for people with cancer.
Prosecutors told the court Enoka posted a 2021 video in which she pleaded for money so she could be around for her children, claiming she had breast and cervical cancer and required lifesaving treatment. She is reported to have fabricated detailed treatment plans and hospital visits, including claims she was undergoing chemotherapy and blood transfusions. Court materials also say Enoka was seen competing in a kickboxing tournament in Bangkok while allegedly battling the illness.
GoFundMe confirmed to media in June 2024 that all donations to the campaign were refunded under its Giving Guarantee. Enoka told the court she did not know how to repay the money. She cried as the magistrate read the sentence and was taken into custody shortly before her youngest daughter's fifth birthday.
Xavier Wills, a bodybuilding and fitness media figure who is the father of Enoka's two youngest children, has spoken publicly about the custody, financial and emotional fallout. Wills has described years of what he called manipulation, lies and, he alleges, physical abuse. He said he had driven much of the "Stand With Tara" campaign, enlisting fitness figures and celebrities to share the fundraiser and collecting donations to support what he believed was treatment.
In social media posts, Wills called the scheme "evil acts such as fraud, blackmail and corruption" that had "torn our family apart." He said he took on Enoka's clients, trained them, and provided money for household expenses while acting as full-time father and breadwinner amid the deception. Wills also said he had lost a previous partner to cancer and believes Enoka exploited that history to strengthen her claims.
Wills has announced he has a new partner, identified in his posts as primary school teacher Syalie Magar, and said he would continue to pursue the return of funds to donors. He posted that many donors were family and friends who are willing to give statements and wrote that he had sought legal advice indicating there could be grounds for further prosecution. Western Australia Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The criminal case against Enoka experienced repeated delays before reaching sentencing. Court documents and media reports indicate prosecutors relied on electronic records, witness statements and inconsistencies between Enoka's public fundraising appeals and her activities to establish the deception. Enoka admitted to misleading donors but told the court she did not have the means to repay all the money raised.
Advocates for legitimate cancer patients and crowd-funding platforms have warned that high-profile fraud cases can harm public trust in online giving. Crowd-funding sites typically offer refund guarantees when fundraisers are shown to have misrepresented facts, and GoFundMe's June 2024 refunds in this case were part of that policy.
Enoka's conviction follows increased attention in Australia and overseas on the verification of medical claims in online fundraisers. Legal experts say prosecutions in such cases hinge on demonstrating intentional deception and the direction of funds for purposes other than those stated in campaigns. Sentencing judges often weigh the financial harm to donors, the emotional impact on families and the broader effects on public charity.
Wills said in his social media statements that his children, Sophia and Kylo, remain his priority and motivation. He posted a message celebrating his daughter's fifth birthday and vowed to continue seeking justice and accountability for those who contributed to the fundraiser. The matter has drawn public scrutiny in the Perth area and among supporters who helped amplify the original campaign.
Enoka's sentence of 13 months, with most of it suspended, means she will serve a relatively short period in custody, but the case has already prompted calls for tighter verification processes and greater transparency in online charitable appeals. GoFundMe's refund to donors addressed the immediate financial restitution, but some supporters—including those Wills said were close to the family—have sought further legal action to recover funds and address alleged misconduct.
Court records show the sentence was imposed last week. The magistrate labelled the conduct as damaging to public confidence in genuine fundraisers, a point echoed by donors and other campaigners affected by the case. As legal avenues and civil claims are explored, the family is navigating the aftermath while several community members and potential witnesses remain in contact with authorities and legal advisers.