Celebrity Designer Gets Extradited to the US for Smuggling Exotic Leather — Retail Bum

Colombia has extradited celebrity fashion designer Nancy Gonzalez for allegedly smuggling purses made from exotic animal skin products.

Gonzalez’s handbags, clutches, and wallets, which are sold in over 300 high-end stores across the globe and have appeared on TV shows and runways, typically fetch thousands of dollars. Some stores that carry her products include Bergdorf Goodman, Harrod’s, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Tsum.

The designer, 78, was arrested in Cali in July 2022 after being accused of illegally importing and selling more than 200 products made using caiman and python skins. Records indicate that the products were flown from Colombia to New York on commercial flights by individuals who were paid to bring the bags and instructed to lie if authorities asked them any questions.

Many of these handbags, handcrafted by native artisans in the city of Cali, were made from skins of species that are either endangered or protected, according to police official Jose Luis Ramirez.

Along with Gonzalez, Colombian police authorities have also extradited her business partner, Diego Mauricio Rodriguez. Both of the individuals are reportedly wanted in the Southern District of Florida.

If prosecuted, Gonzalez may face a 25-year prison term.

The illegal trafficking of exotic skins is a highly lucrative business today. A 2020 report found that several major fashion brands, including Balenciaga, Gucci, and Saint Laurent, were key buyers of exotic animal skins, further fueling demand.

Photo credit: Nancy Gonzalez

Originally published at https://retailbum.com on August 31, 2023.