Tara Michelle Enoka, a Perth kickboxer and mother of four, was sentenced to 13 months in prison on Friday after admitting she fabricated a cancer diagnosis to obtain more than $37,000 in donations, a magistrate said. Joondalup Magistrates Court ordered 11 months of the sentence suspended, meaning Enoka will serve two months behind bars.
Prosecutors said Enoka created a GoFundMe campaign under the name "Stand With Tara" and posted a 2021 video in which she claimed to need life-saving treatment for breast and cervical cancer. "We are raising the money to help pay for the treatments that I need to potentially save my life," she told viewers in the clip, which the court heard was viewed more than 2,000 times and attracted donations from friends, family and strangers worldwide.
Magistrate Raelene Johnston described Enoka's actions as "despicable" and "deliberate," saying the calculated lies betrayed trust and undermined legitimate fundraisers for Australians battling genuine life-threatening illnesses. The court heard that Enoka had continued to present herself publicly as both a fighter and a mother in need while privately maintaining her sporting career.
Enoka pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of possessing unlawfully obtained property after the original fraud charge was downgraded. The case experienced repeated delays before reaching sentence. At one point during proceedings, Enoka told magistrates she did not know how she would repay the money.
Evidence presented in court included footage and reports that Enoka had competed in a Bangkok kickboxing tournament several months before her arrest, appearing physically fit. That detail formed part of the prosecution's case that she had misled donors about her health. Enoka broke down in tears as the sentence was handed down and was taken into custody immediately, the court heard. She missed her youngest daughter's fifth birthday the following day.
A GoFundMe spokesperson told the court and media that all donors were refunded in June 2024 under the platform's Giving Guarantee. Enoka's lawyer declined to comment outside court.
The magistrate emphasised the wider impact of the conduct, noting that fraudulent appeals can erode public confidence and divert support from people genuinely in need. The sentencing marks the conclusion of a matter that drew attention online and in local media after the fundraising campaign reached an international audience in 2021.