Ferragni case: influencer acquitted in “Pandorogate” scandal, fraud charges dropped

Milan, 14 January (LaPresse) – The Court of Milan has acquitted Chiara Ferragni of the charge of aggravated fraud for over €2 million in the “Pandorogate” case and of misleading advertising linked to charity and sales of Balocco’s “Pandoro Pink Christmas” for Christmas 2022 and Dolci Preziosi’s Easter Eggs ’21-’22. The ruling of no case to answer was read by Judge Ilio Mannucci Pacini in the third criminal division courtroom a few moments ago. With the aggravating circumstance of the diminished defence of consumers who were “deceived” no longer applicable, which the Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office defined in the “methods of conveying the message” on the web where Ferragni enjoyed undisputed credibility, the offence of simple “fraud” is not prosecutable and has been extinguished following the compensation paid by the entrepreneur, amounting to over €3.4 million, to the consumer associations Adicu, Codacons and a 76-year-old woman who had purchased several pandoro cakes for charity. All parties withdrew their complaints following agreements, except for “Casa del Consumatore”, which joined the fast-track trial as a civil party to claim damages but without having filed a complaint during the investigation phase.