Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni is speaking out after being hit with an approximately $1 million fine amid allegations that she misled her followers over a charitable donation.
The Italian Competition Authority conducted an investigation of a 2022 partnership with Balocco, an Italian pastry brand. The collaboration resulted in a branded cake bearing her image, which was supposed to raise proceeds for Regina Margherita Hospital.
The cakes were sold at a higher price than the brand’s similar products; however, most of the proceeds do not appear to have made it to the hospital.
The investigation concluded that the higher price was “misleading” as it implied that the difference would be donated to charity, via Business Insider.
After the report’s findings were revealed, she responded on social media.
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In a post on Instagram, Chiara vowed to make things right.
“I have always been convinced that the luckiest have a moral responsibility to do good.
These are the values that have always driven me and my family. This is what we teach our children. We also teach them that you can make mistakes, and that when it happens you need to admit, and if possible, fix the mistake made and treasure it,” Chiara wrote in the accompanying caption, according to a translation provided by Instagram.
She continued, adding, “And that’s what I want to do now. Apologize and give concrete action to my gesture: I will return 1 million euros to Regina Margherita Hospital to support children’s care.”
“But it’s not enough: I do it publicly because I realized I made a communication error. A mistake I will treasure in the future, completely separating any charity, which I have always done and will continue to do, from commercial activities. Because even if the last end is good, if there hasn’t been sufficient control over communication, it can still lead to mistakes,” Chiara vowed.
“As I said in the past few days, I will challenge the measure of the AGCM because I consider it disproportionate and unfair. My mistake in good faith was to link with communication a commercial activity to one of solidarity. Unfortunately you can make mistakes, I am sorry I did it and I realize I could have guarded better.”
Chiara added, “But, if the definitive sanction should be – as I hope – lower than the one decided by the AGCM, the difference will be added to the million euros. In the coming days I will speak with Regina Margherita Hospital to understand how the hospital will use the money donated by me and I will periodically tell you updates.
My mistake remains but I want to make sure that something constructive and positive can be generated from this mistake.”