‘COMMUNICATIONS ERROR’

Top Influencer Apologizes for Charity Fiasco That Got Her Fined $1.1M

Criticism of Chiara Ferragni came from as high up as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni has apologized and blamed a “communications error” as the reason she falsely advertised that the proceeds of a co-branded pandoro—an Italian holiday cake—would go to a children’s hospital. In reality, an Italian watchdog uncovered that the cake’s maker had already given money to the hospital before the limited edition “designer” pink pandoro was ever launched, and money made off new sales weren’t headed to charity. The apology from Ferragni, who boasts more than 30 million Instagram followers, comes after she was fined approximately $1.1 million and was skewered this weekend by the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Ferragni, 36, said in a video apology that she “made a mistake in good faith” and was unaware new sales weren’t going to the hospital. The “Pandoro Pink Christmas,” said to have been designed by Ferragni, was sold for more than €9—well over twice the price of the classic pandoro produced by the same company, the BBC reported.