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Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni, known for her nearly 30 million Instagram followers, has issued an apology for a misleading promotion involving a “designer” pink pandoro Christmas cake. The AGCM antitrust authority fined Ferragni €1.075 million for falsely claiming that sales of the cake would contribute to a children’s hospital in Turin. The watchdog revealed that the cake’s producer had donated money to the hospital months before the product launch. Ferragni, 36, expressed regret for the “mistake in good faith” and pledged to donate €1 million to the Regina Margherita hospital. She intends to appeal the ruling, describing the fine as disproportionate and unjust.

The “Pandoro Pink Christmas,” labeled as designed by Ferragni, was sold at over €9, more than twice the price of Balocco’s classic unbranded pandoro. The AGCM found that buyers were misled into believing their purchases would contribute to medical equipment for treating children with specific illnesses. Prime Minister Georgia Meloni criticized influencers promoting “expensive cakes that make people believe they are charitable,” although she did not explicitly mention Ferragni. This controversy has raised questions about the reputation of Ferragni, often regarded as the “princess of influencers and queen of social media.”

Consumer group Codacons announced plans to launch legal action seeking compensation for individuals who bought the cake under the false impression that they were supporting the Turin children’s hospital. They are filing complaints with 104 Italian prosecutors, alleging aggravated fraud. The AGCM watchdog imposed a €420,000 fine on the cake’s manufacturer, Balocco, stating that false advertising exploited consumers’ sensitivity to charitable initiatives, violating Italy’s consumer code. Additionally, fines exceeding €1 million were imposed on two companies managing Chiara Ferragni’s trademarks and rights. Balocco had already donated €50,000 to the hospital months before the cake was put on sale, and the company paid Ferragni’s two companies around €1 million for promotion.

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Italian TV presenter Andrea Giambruno, who is in a relationship with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has faced criticism for seemingly suggesting that young women could avoid rape by not getting drunk. Giambruno made these comments in the context of recent gang rape incidents in Italy, including one involving seven men accused of gang-raping a teenager in Sicily and another where six youths allegedly raped two young cousins in Caivano near Naples.

Giambruno later clarified that his comments were taken out of context and accused his detractors of exploiting his words unfairly. He explained that he had condemned the abhorrent acts as carried out by “beasts.”

Prime Minister Meloni, despite not commenting publicly on the matter, announced her intention to visit Caivano as a show of solidarity with the victims and the community. This decision followed a plea from the mother of one of the girls who was attacked, expressing concerns for her family’s safety after the incident.

Critics, including parliamentary inquiry head Martina Semenzato and politician Chiara Gribaudo, strongly denounced Giambruno’s remarks as victim-blaming and stressed that the blame should always be on the perpetrators, not the victims. Influential figure Chiara Ferragni used her social media platform to highlight that the problem lay with the actions of men, not wolves.

Despite the controversy, Giambruno’s partner, Prime Minister Meloni, proceeded with her visit to Caivano. However, this move was met with resistance and threats due to dissatisfaction with the government’s decision to phase out a minimum income benefit. Nevertheless, Meloni reaffirmed her commitment to fighting organized crime and ensuring security and a better future for the nation’s children.

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