The empire of one of the world’s most famous fashion influencers has cracked: Chiara Ferragni found herself at the center of a high-profile scandal and now faces prison time. Italian authorities have accused the social media star of fraud following a charity campaign with the Balocco brand, in which Christmas cupcakes were sold with the promise of helping children, but the charity ultimately received minimal funds. Despite public apologies and fines totaling more than €3.4 million, public anger has not subsided.
Consumer associations launched a new investigation, and the case went back to court. At a preliminary hearing on November 25, prosecutors sought a sentence of one year and eight months in prison for the Instagram star, who is worth €28 million, claiming that the campaign misled consumers. Ferragni’s lawyers insist that she acted in good faith and that neither she nor her companies benefited from the controversial campaign. Chiara herself, leaving the courtroom, said only: “We have always acted honestly.”
The next hearing is scheduled for December 19, and the final verdict will be handed down in January. Meanwhile, Italy is discussing how an influencer who appeared on the cover of Vogue and was considered a symbol of the “digital fashion era” ended up facing prison time. The scandal seems to have become the most high-profile of her career — and could completely change her future.
