Influencer Pocketed Large Bribes Under the Guise of Donations... So Serious That a Prevention Law Bearing Their Name Was Enacted

Related Laws Enacted to Prevent 'Fake Donations'
Prime Minister Joins in Harsh Criticism of the Influencer

The Italian government has taken steps to prevent the recurrence of the 'fake donation' scandal involving Chiara Ferragni (36), an Italian influencer with 30 million followers, which remains controversial. On the 24th (local time), the Italian daily Il Messaggero reported that the government is scheduled to approve the so-called 'Ferragni Law' at a cabinet meeting on the 25th, which requires clear disclosure of the purpose, recipients, and the portion donated to charities for donated products.

This bill mandates that when famous influencers promote products under the pretext of donations, they must transparently disclose to whom, for what purpose, and how much of the donation is delivered. Violations of this law can result in fines of up to 50,000 euros (approximately 72 million KRW), and if repeated violations are confirmed, online activities can be suspended for up to one year.

The Italian government has taken measures to prevent recurrence amid ongoing controversy over the "fake donation" scandal involving Chiara Ferragni (36), an Italian influencer with 30 million followers.
[Photo by AP·Yonhap News]

Earlier, in November 2022, Ferragni promoted Christmas cakes from the confectionery company Balocco, claiming that proceeds would be donated to children with pediatric cancer. At that time, Ferragni introduced the cakes as personally designed by her and sold them at 9 euros each (about 13,000 KRW), more than twice the usual price, with certified design labels attached.

Consumers bought the cakes trusting her words to 'buy Christmas cakes and also donate to children's hospitals,' but the actual donation method was significantly different from what was initially promoted. The donation was entirely the 50,000 euros (about 72 million KRW) that Balocco had donated to the children's hospital several months before the cake launch, and the sales proceeds and donations were unrelated.

As a result, the Italian antitrust authority imposed fines of 1,075,000 euros (about 1.55 billion KRW) on Ferragni and 420,000 euros (about 600 million KRW) on Balocco last month for deceiving consumers. It was determined that Ferragni colluded with Balocco to mislead consumers. Additionally, it was revealed that Ferragni received more than 1 million euros (about 1.44 billion KRW) from Balocco as a condition for promoting the Christmas cakes.

As criticism surrounding her continued to escalate to the point that even Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni voiced disapproval, Ferragni posted a tearful apology video on her Instagram on the 18th of last month, explaining that "there was a communication problem." However, judicial authorities view Ferragni as habitually deceiving consumers.

The Milan prosecutor's office is also investigating fraud allegations regarding her promise to donate part of the proceeds from the sale of egg-shaped chocolates given as Easter gifts and dolls resembling herself. According to the local daily La Repubblica, if this case goes to trial, Ferragni could face a prison sentence ranging from one to five years for fraud.

Prime Minister Meloni Draws the Line: "This Is Not Political Retaliation"

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni fiercely criticized him from the early stages of the incident. Prime Minister Meloni stated, "The real example is not the influencer who makes money by showing off clothes and bags, nor the influencer who promotes expensive cakes that make people believe it is charity."
[Photo by AFP·Yonhap News]

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has fiercely criticized Ferragni from the early stages of the incident. Meloni stated, "The real example is not influencers who make money by showing off clothes and bags, nor influencers who promote expensive cakes that make people believe they are charitable." On the 22nd, appearing on the TV talk show Quarta Repubblica, she promised, "I will submit a bill to parliament requiring individuals and companies to clearly disclose how much of the product proceeds are donated to charities."

There is also a view that Meloni's particular focus on the Ferragni scandal stems from the fact that Ferragni's husband, the famous rapper Fedez, publicly criticized Meloni's government. Meloni denied this, stating, "The left hastily defended Ferragni, turning this issue into a political matter," and rebutted, "I was not the one who attacked first."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.