Dolce & Gabbana Acquitted of Tax Evasion
It’s a good day for Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. Following an investigation into alleged tax evasion and fraud that started in 2004, the Italian design duo has been acquitted.
The charges of failing to pay taxes on more than $1 billion in income and defrauding the Italian revenue agency could have warranted a criminal trial—and, if convicted, up to seven years in prison. On April 1 in Milan, judge Simone Luerti announced that there was no foundation for a trial.
“There are no elements of penal relevance,” said Giuseppe Bana, the lawyer of Dolce and Gabbana’s accountant, Luciano Patelli. “I am very pleased with this decision. The judge prevented this from going too far; it’s an investigation that should never have been initiated in the first place.”
Now that they’re in the clear, the designers can get back to their everyday activities—such as dancing to Britney Spears.
