Si worsens the position of Chiara Ferragni for pandoro 'Pink Christmas' produced by the Piedmontese company Balocco. The influencer is now under investigation by the Milan Prosecutor's Office for aggravated scam. She is also under investigation together with her Alessandra Balocco, CEO of the Piedmontese confectionery company. The decision was made by Milan's deputy prosecutor Eugenio Fusco.
The hypothesized crime, also based on a ruling from the Supreme Court, is therefore scam aggravated by impaired consumer protection as it is committed with the computer system. At the moment neither of the two suspects has received a notice of investigation from the Milan prosecutor's office. The story has already resulted in a maxi-fine of 1 million of euros by the Antitrust for the digital entrepreneur and the Fossano company for misleading advertising regarding charities.
Some emails are decisive
The report presented by the Guardia di Finanza at the Milan Prosecutor's Office changed the direction of the investigation into the "pandoro-gate" from commercial fraud to fraud. The decisive evidence includes one series of highlighted emails in the documents acquired by the Antitrust.
The Yellow Flames have documents seized at the Balocco headquarters in Fossano, in the province of Cuneo. Ferragni could soon be summoned by the Milan prosecutor's office to testify in the case, as investigators try to hear the version of events from all the protagonists involved in the affair.
In the meantime, some prosecutors who had opened similar investigations without any hypothesis of crime or suspects, following the complaints from Codacons, they communicated to the Milanese prosecutors to send the documents to Milan. In the Milanese investigation, in addition to the pandoro case, similar cases will be examined regarding the sale of products with the Ferragni brand for solidarity purposes, including Easter eggs of Precious Sweets.
Ferragni: “I am calm, I have always acted in good faith”
Chiara Ferragni chose to respond to the news of the investigation against him by the Milan prosecutor's office for aggravated fraud in the Balocco pandori case through a note from his lawyers: "I am at peace because I have always acted in good faith and I am sure that this will emerge from the ongoing investigations. I have full faith in the activity of the judiciary – said Ferragni – and I immediately made myself available with my lawyers to collaborate and clarify every detail of what happened in the shortest time possible”.
Meanwhile theRegina Margherita hospital of Turin received the donation of one million euros by the entrepreneur. The sum was announced by the influencer in the apology video on the pandoro affair last December 18: "To apologize and give substance to this gesture of mine: I will donate 1 million euros to Regina Margherita to support the care of children" said the Ferragni. According to Corriere della Sera, the financing will be allocated to support institutional activities of the structure of pediatric oncohematology.
Balocco: "Sorry, the initiative was misunderstood"
Balocco also defends himself with a note: “We are deeply sorry – writes the Piedmontese confectionery company – that theinitiative was misunderstood by many: we will collaborate with the authorities - in whom we place full trust - certain that our absolute good faith will emerge, and we will continue to commit ourselves to creating quality products to offer to consumers in Italy and around the world, also to protect those linked to company, starting from the families of those who work with us".
“Recent events have us deeply troubled, also thinking about the values that guide us and the ethics that have always distinguished us. For over a year, and especially in recent weeks, numerous incorrect information has been reported, also the result of poor knowledge, incorrect interpretation of the facts, and in some cases exploitation" - Balocco specified - "we will continue to do good, as we have already been doing for some time, placing our values even more strongly at the center of all our projects".
Codacons: class action ready for 1,6 million
Codacons announced initiate collective action against Chiara Ferragni on behalf of all the parties harmed by the alleged offenses under investigation by the judiciary. The goal is obtain reimbursement of sums paid in excess for the purchase of the Balocco Pink Christmas pandoro.
The association aims to obtain reimbursements for a total of 1,65 million euros, calculated on the basis of more than 290.000 pandoros sold in 2022, with a price differentiated between the 'normal' Balocco pandoro (3,68 euros) and the Ferragni designer one (9,37 euros).
Even in the “absence of a receipt, all consumers who purchased the 'Pink Christmas' pandoro – explains in Codacons communicated – can join our action and ask Chiara Ferragni and Balocco for reimbursement of the increased sums paid, delegating Codacons to represent them as the offended party in the investigation by the Milan Prosecutor's Office".
Boom of the offending pandoro: sold for 250 euros
Meanwhile, the offending pandoro is booming. After the opening of the investigation for aggravated fraud on pandoro “Pink Christmas” by Chiara Ferragni and Balocco was subject to online offers of up to 250 euros, as reported by Coldiretti.
This is what emerges from a survey on sales also for typical holiday products, which highlights a countertrend on the price of pandoro involved in the legal issue. In fact, if during the post-Epiphany discount season, the typical products of the Christmas and New Year holidays, such as cotechini, zamponi, pandoro, panettone, nougats and other specialties, can be offered with significant discounts, reaching up to 70%, this does not apply to Chiara Ferragni's pandoro.
“In any case – explains Coldiretti – we must fAlways pay attention to expiration dates obligatorily indicated on the packaging to avoid consuming old products". The pandoro “Pink Christmas” signed by Ferragni, in fact, dates back to a campaign for the Christmas .
