Milan Court Acquits Chiara Ferragni of Fraud

A Milan court acquitted Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni of aggravated fraud charges on Wednesday, ending a high-profile case stemming from her promotions of charity-linked products. The 38-year-old entrepreneur, known for her vast online following and fashion ventures, faced accusations related to misleading consumers about donations from sales of special-edition Christmas cakes and Easter eggs.

The verdict came after a fast-track trial that began in November, where prosecutors initially sought a 20-month prison sentence for Ferragni and her associate, Fabio Damato. The charges centered on two main campaigns. In 2022, Ferragni collaborated with confectioner Balocco to sell pink-boxed pandoro cakes, a traditional Italian Christmas treat, priced at 9 euros compared to the usual 3.70 euros. The packaging and her social media posts implied that proceeds would support cancer research at Turin's Regina Margherita Hospital for children. In reality, Balocco made a one-time donation of 50,000 euros to the hospital before the launch, while Ferragni's companies received about 1 million euros for the endorsement and sponsorship.

Similar issues arose with Easter egg promotions in 2021 and...