Judge dismisses fraud charges against Chiara Ferragni

Influencer Chiara Ferragni is expressing her thoughts following an Italian judge's decision to dismiss aggravated fraud charges against her in court on January 14.

“Today I am not celebrating a victory,” she expressed in a statement shared on Instagram on January 15. “Today I am closing a chapter.”

At 38, Ferragni gained online fame with her fashion blog, which she started in 2009, and eventually became the first to grace the cover of Vogue in 2015.

Despite her rising stardom, in 2022, the Italian social media star faced criticism for marketing Pandoro Christmas cakes in a partnership with Balocco, an Italian company, whose packaging indicated that purchases would “support the Regina Margherita hospital in Turin.”

The following year, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) penalised Ferragni for allegedly deceiving the public, stating that the box's messages — published on her social media accounts — suggested that the acquisition of each cake would help the hospital, although Balocco had made only a €50,000 contribution.

During a preliminary hearing in November, the Milan Prosecutor’s Office recommended a sentence of one year and eight months for the 38-year-old online personality, as noted by French24, L'Unione Sarda, and La Presse.

In a video shared on Instagram in 2024, Ferragni initially responded to the fraud allegations, describing them as “disproportionate and unfair” and attributing the situation to a " communication error.”

At that time, she committed to donating her €1 million earnings from the Balocco collaboration to the hospital.