Chiara Ferragni was in São Paulo this week for professional engagements. The Italian digital influencer, who is facing charges of fraud in charitable campaigns in Italy, spent three days in the São Paulo capital at the invitation of... fintech Brazilian company PicPay.
Ferragni was the main guest at the launch of Epic, the new digital bank brand aimed at high-income clients. The event was held at Teatro B32, on Avenida Faria Lima, in the western part of the city, and had a limited audience of 200 people. Among those present were well-known names such as Carla Diaz, Gkay, Pathy Dejesus, Raissa Santana, and Rita Carreira.
The event gained prominence on social media for its cryptic communication with guests, who received coded messages about the party. The evening featured a performance by singer Alexandre Pires.
During programming, Ferragni participated in a conversation with Yasmin Ali Yassine, from the Venus Podcast program. In the talk, the businesswoman recalled her journey on social media as one of the first digital influencers in the world and discussed her work as an entrepreneur.
On social media, the Italian stated that Brazil is one of her favorite countries. “It was my third time in São Paulo and my fifth time in one of my favorite countries, Brazil. I can’t wait to go back,” she wrote in a post this Sunday (30), mixing English and Portuguese.
During her days off, the Italian woman visited traditional tourist spots in the city. She went to Ibirapuera Park, one of the largest green areas in the capital, and to Beco do Batman, an alley located in Vila Madalena, a bohemian neighborhood in the west zone known for its urban art murals.
The influencer's engagement with PicPay marks her first public appearance after being formally accused of fraud by the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office. According to the investigation, Ferragni allegedly profited illicitly by 2,2 million euros (R$ 13,6 million). with the sale of pandoros and Easter eggs between 2021 and 2023The products were marketed with promises that the profits would be donated to charity, which did not materialize in practice.
The investigation indicates that the donations were made even before the start of the campaigns and in amounts lower than the funds raised. Faced with the negative publicity, Ferragni donated 1 million euros (R$ 6,2 million) to the children's hospital in Turin and another 1,2 million euros (R$ 7,4 million) to the NGO involved.
Despite this, the Public Prosecutor's Office requested his conviction to one year and eight months in prison. In a hearing held last week, Ferragni defended himself: "We did everything in good faith, nobody profited from this," he stated before the judge.
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