Chiara Ferragni fraud case explained as influencer found not guilty

Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni has been acquitted of fraud charges stemming from allegations that she misled consumers over the sale of limited-edition Christmas cakes and Easter eggs marketed as charity products.

Ferragni, who has 28 million Instagram followers, was found not guilty alongside two other defendants. The 38-year-old had been under investigation for aggravated fraud in relation to the marketing and sale of the products in 2022 and 2023, a controversy that became known as “pandorogate”.

Customers were led to believe proceeds from the festive products would support a children’s hospital in Turin. However, it later reportedly emerged that the cake’s producer, Balocco, had already made a €50,000 (£43,300) donation to the hospital prior to the product’s launch.

At the height of the backlash, Ferragni issued a public apology and pledged to donate over €1 million to the Regina Margherita Children’s Hospital. Then, when the Easter Eggs followed a similar pattern, Ferragni donated €1.2m to a children's charity to settle complaints.

In December 2023, Italy’s antitrust authority fined Ferragni more than €1 million for what it described as “unfair commercial practices” linked to the branded pandoro cake.

Throughout the investigation, Ferragni denied any wrongdoing, insisting she acted in good faith and relied on contractual agreements with her business partners.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday (14 January) following the verdict, Ferragni said: "We are all moved. The last two years have been very hard. I had faith in justice, and justice has been done."

The scandal also prompted political action, with the Italian government introducing a bill aimed at influencers accused of misleading their audiences through unclear or deceptive marketing promotions.

You should also read...

• China is cracking down on influencer culture with strict new guidelines - including needing a degree
• How 'rich' influencers are convincing you you're broker than you are - but not all is as it seems

How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel

Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.