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Italian influencer and entrepreneur Chiara Ferragni has been acquitted of criminal charges of aggravated fraud in a case involving around 2 million euros and related to the sale of festive products promoted as a charity for children with cancer.
A judge in Milan ruled on Wednesday that the charges against Ferragni were not admissible in court, ending a criminal trial that had drawn widespread public attention in Italy. Prosecutors had sought a 20-month prison sentence for the 38-year-old influencer.
The case concerned promotional campaigns for a limited edition version of the traditional Christmas dessert "pandoro", called "Pink Christmas", as well as for chocolate Easter eggs, carried out in collaboration with the Italian confectionery company Balocco during 2022 and 2023. The marketing of the products suggested that proceeds from sales would go to the Regina Margherita pediatric hospital in Turin, to support research against cancer in children.
The scandal erupted after an investigative journalist revealed that Balocco had made a donation of 50,000 euros to the hospital before the collaboration began and that Chiara Ferragni had received a commercial payment of around 1 million euros for the promotion. It was later revealed that the proceeds from the sales of the festive products would go directly to Ferragni's companies and not to the hospital, as had been perceived by the public.
Speaking in court in November, Ferragni denied any fraudulent intent, stating that everything was done in good faith. "Everything we did, we did in good faith. None of us personally benefited," she said, admitting, however, that there had been a "miscommunication."
Neither the Balocco company, nor the Regina Margherita hospital, nor her ex-husband, rapper Fedez, were criminally charged in the case. However, the public and economic consequences of the scandal were huge. The multimillion-dollar empire that Ferragni and Fedez had built over the years – which included television shows, podcasts, commercial collaborations and fashion brands – was hit hard, and many projects were discontinued.
Known in Italy as “Pandorogate,” the case sparked a national debate over transparency in influencer marketing and the use of charity for commercial purposes. The scandal also prompted legal initiatives to regulate influencer activity in the country, supported by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
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