Italian fashion influencer Chiara Ferragni has been acquitted of fraud charges in a Milan trial linked to charity Christmas cake and Easter egg promotions. The 38-year-old social media star faced accusations of misleading consumers in two separate fundraising campaigns, with prosecutors seeking a sentence of one year and eight months for aggravated fraud.
Ferragni, who has over 28 million Instagram followers, said 'justice has been done' after the verdict. 'The nightmare is over,' she told reporters on Wednesday, adding that the past two years had been very difficult but she had faith in the legal system.
The case began in early 2024 after Italy's anti-trust authority fined Ferragni €1 million for unfair commercial practices over a 2022 Christmas campaign promoting Balocco's pandoro cake. Consumers paid €9 instead of the standard €3, believing the extra cost would benefit a Turin children's hospital, but the hospital received only a single €50,000 donation from Balocco, which was also fined €420,000.
Separately, Ferragni faced allegations regarding Easter egg campaigns in 2021 and 2022, where consumers thought they were supporting a children's charity. In 2024, she paid approximately €1.2 million to the charity to settle that aspect of the case. Her lawyer, Giuseppe Iannaccone, stated that Ferragni had acted in 'good faith' and denied the fraud charges.
The scandal tarnished Ferragni's reputation, costing her about 200,000 followers and clients such as Coca-Cola, though she remains a major influencer. It also sparked a government crackdown in Italy, requiring influencers with more than 500,000 followers to register with the Italian Communications Regulatory Authority (AGCOM) and comply with transparency rules.
