Prosecutors Seek 20 Months Jail Time for Influencer Chiara Ferragni as She Appears in Court for Fraud Charges

Prosecutors are seeking 20 months of jail time for influencer Chiara Ferragni over aggravated fraud charges that stem from a charitable collaboration to sell branded Pandoro Christmas cakes in 2022.

Ferragni appeared in court in Milan for a pretrial hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 25, during which the Milan Prosecutor’s Office requested a sentence of one year and eight months for the content creator, per French news outlets French24, L'Unione Sarda and La Presse.

The 38-year-old Italian fashion influencer — who first gained prominence online with a fashion blog in 2009 and became the first fashion blogger to be on the cover of Vogue in 2015 — is under scrutiny for selling Pandoro Christmas cakes in collaboration with Italian food company Balocco, the boxes of which promised that Ferragni and Balocco “support the Regina Margherita hospital in Turin.”

In 2023, the year after the promotion, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) sanctioned Ferragni for allegedly misleading the public, claiming that the box’s messaging — which was also shared to her social media accounts — made it appear that each Pandoro Christmas cake purchase would benefit the hospital, when Balocco actually only made one €50,000 donation to the hospital.

Ferragni first responded to fraud allegations in an Instagram video saying the claims were “disproportionate and unfair” and calling them a “communication error.” She also said she would donate the €1 million fee she received from Balocco for the collaboration to the hospital.

As of the end of 2024, Ferragni had reportedly paid a total of €3.4 million to settle and resolve investigations surrounding various charitable donations, including the €1 million she paid to the hospital, a €1 million fine from the AGCM and another €1.2 million to a children’s charity to settle an antitrust case over Ferragni-branded Easter eggs.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In May 2024, Ferragni’s company also put out a statement vowing to “refrain from carrying out operations in which commercial activities are connected to charitable activities.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Though the content creator spent much of 2024 away from social media, she has returned over the last year to promote several collaborations with luxury brands and serve as the face of several regional beauty magazines.

Leaving the courthouse on Tuesday, Ferragni told reporters, “We have always acted in good faith, no one profited from this. I am confident, I cannot say more," per La Presse.

Her lawyer, Marcello Bana, added, “Her innocence will come to light."

The influencer is next expected in court on Dec. 19, when the defense will present its arguments, and a verdict is expected in January, per L'Unione Sarda.