Celebrity handbag designer faces 18-month sentence for exotic leather smuggling
Nancy Gonzalez, a renowned handbag designer with a celebrity clientele including Britney Spears, Eva Longoria, Vanessa Hudgens, Victoria Beckham, and Hayden Panettiere, has reportedly been sentenced to 18 months in prison. The conviction follows her confession to smuggling leather from captive-bred crocodiles and pythons into the US. Her fashion label, known for its colorful crocodile handbags, was charged last year in a Miami federal court on "two counts of smuggling and one count of conspiracy."
Gonzalez accused of shipping handbags without the necessary permits
Gonzalez was accused by prosecutors of shipping handbags from Colombia to the US without obtaining the necessary import permits for "trading in endangered and threatened wildlife species." The skins she allegedly smuggled—a python and a type of crocodile known as caiman—are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The Department of Justice stated that Gonzalez failed to adhere to these regulations during her importation of the leather.
Tactics: Gonzalez used multiple couriers to transport goods
The prosecution alleges that Gonzalez used multiple couriers to illicitly transport goods prior to her arrest in Colombia and subsequent extradition to the US, reportedly. Her handbags typically retail for over $2,000 each, according to the US Department of Justice. Gonzalez's attorney confirmed that she had already spent 14 months in a Colombian prison for this crime, which will be subtracted from her US prison term.
Gonzalez's attorney argued that her offense didn't merit criminal case
Gonzalez's attorney, Sam Rabin, argued that her offense "did not merit the filing of a criminal case" and has put a successful woman and her business out of operation. Assistant US Attorney Thomas Watts-Fitzgerald countered this view stating, "It's all driven by the money," adding that to deter such conduct, those at the top must be targeted. Rabin also informed Women's Wear Daily last year that less than 1% of Gonzalez's handbags were imported without proper paperwork.
Background: Know more about the fashion designer
Gonzalez launched her first collection comprising just eight pieces in 1998. Renowned for her vibrant crocodile designs—which featured bold hues like hot pink, neon green, and striking bright blue—Gonzalez later diversified her range to include materials such as "lizards and linen." During the early 2000s, her handbags graced the arms of celebrities like Spears and Longoria. They also made appearances in blockbuster titles such as the Sex and the City series and The Devil Wears Prada.
