Influencer and businesswoman Chiara Ferragni was acquitted of fraud by a Milan criminal court on Wednesday.
The fast-track trial concerned alleged misleading advertising linked to charity-branded food products she endorsed in 2021 and 2022.
The case focused on Balocco’s “Pink Christmas” Pandoro cake and Dolci Preziosi chocolate Easter eggs. Prosecutors argued consumers believed purchases directly supported charities, when donations had already been paid independently of sales.
Outside the courtroom, a visibly emotional Ferragni thanked her legal team and followers. She said the verdict marked “the end of a nightmare” and added that the past two years had been very difficult.
In 2024, Italy’s Antitrust Authority ordered two Ferragni-linked companies to pay at least €1.2 million to children’s charity I Bambini delle Fate over the Easter eggs promotion.
That same year, Ferragni donated €200,000 to victims of gender violence under an agreement with consumer group CODACONS, which then withdrew its complaint. The Milan court ruled it could not pursue the case without a complaint, after rejecting aggravating factors cited by prosecutors.
Ferragni’s former aide Fabio Damato and Francesco Cannillo, president of Cerealitalia, were also acquitted.
