1.5 Year Sentence for Nancy Gonzalez, Luxury Bag Designer Subscribe to Britney Spears and Victoria Beckham

Nancy Gonzalez is guilty of smuggling crocodile and snakeskin bags into the United States.

AP/JOSH GOODMAN

Designer Nancy Gonzalez hides behind an umbrella as she and her lawyer Andrea Lopez (right) arrive at the Miami Court in Florida on Monday (22/4/2024).

MIAMI, TUESDAY — Colombian designer, Nancy Gonzalez (71), was sentenced to 1.5 years in prison. He was found guilty of smuggling bags made of crocodile skin and snake skin. Her clients include Salma Hayek, Britney Spears, and Victoria Beckham.

Gonzales was arrested in his home country, Colombia, in 2022. Afterwards, he was extradited to the United States. The Miami court in Florida convicted the designer on Monday (22/4/2024).

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Gonzales does not have the import permit from relevant authorities in the United States. This permit is mandatory for products made from raw materials of rare or endangered species.

He was charged with running a network for smuggling crocodile and snake skin bags. The network ranged from recruiting couriers to transporting handbags on commercial flights.

According to the testimony of colleagues and former employees, ahead of an important fashion event, Gonzalez recruited 40 passengers as couriers. They were ordered to carry four designer handbags each on commercial flights.

AP/JOSH GOODMAN

Designer Nancy Gonzalez hid behind an umbrella while her lawyer, Andrea Lopez (right), arrived at the Miami, Florida Court on Monday (April 22, 2024).

In this way, the public prosecutor estimated that he smuggled goods worth 2 million US dollars in the US. Gonzalez's lawyer denied the claim, stating that each leather bag was only worth around 140 US dollars.

The bags eventually ended up being showcased in high-end showrooms and exclusive fashion events in New York. All of these violate US wildlife regulations and laws. “Everything was driven by money,” said prosecutor Thomas Watts-Fitzgerald.

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The prosecutor equates Gonzalez's crime with drug dealer behavior. "To prevent it, the cocaine kingpin must be arrested. Not the people in the field," said Watts-Fitzgerald.

All the leather used in the smuggled luxury handbags comes from caiman crocodiles and python snakes that are raised in breeding farms. Gonzales has failed several times to obtain import permits from the US Fisheries and Wildlife Service. These permits are required to be based on international agreements on trade in endangered wild animal species.

Please forgive

The Gonzalez legal team is requesting leniency. The lawyers argue that Gonzalez is a single parent to two children and must make a living by creating belts and various accessories in Cali, Colombia.

AP PHOTO/ANTONIO CALANNI, FILE

A number of bags on display at the Gucci outlet in Milan, Italy, in October 2016.

The design that she made with a household sewing machine was originally bought by her friends. Over time, her business grew and became a global fashion icon that surpassed brands like Dior, Prada, and Gucci. "She was determined to show her children and the world that women, including minority women like herself, can pursue their dreams successfully and become financially independent," wrote the lawyers in a memo before Monday's hearing.

According to his attorneys, Gonzales has defied all odds. "This petite but mighty woman was able to create a luxury and high-class fashion company. "This is the first such success from a third world country," the team said.

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They also argue that only one percent of the goods he imports to the US violate the law. The violation in question is the lack of proper permits. According to his legal team, those violating goods are only examples for New York Fashion Week and other events.

Before the verdict, Gonzales had also paid a high price for his crime. The Colombian company he built went bankrupt since he was arrested. Previously, the company was so big that it once employed 300 employees, most of whom were women.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

A number of luxury bags confiscated from an official from the Directorate General of Taxes, Rafael Alun Sambodo, were shown in April 2023.

In court, Gonzalez expressed deep regret for not carefully complying with US law. At present, the only thing he hopes for is to once again embrace his 103-year-old mother.

"From the bottom of my heart, I apologize to the United States. I never intended to offend the country that I am grateful for. Under pressure, I made a bad decision," he said.

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The prosecutor denies such a defense. Gonzalez has gained significant wealth and a luxurious lifestyle from his actions, which is different from the courier he recruited to smuggle his merchandise into the US.

If asked by customs officers, couriers are instructed to say that the goods are gifts for their relatives. "His mission has changed to producing criminals. He tries to rewrite the laws for himself, doing it his way," said Watts-Fitzgerald.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

A number of luxury bags confiscated from officials from the Indonesian Directorate General of Taxes, Rafael Alun Sambodo, were shown in April 2023.

In 2016 and 2017, US officials warned Gonzales not to ignore the rules. However, he still did so. "This makes his actions very terrifying," said Judge Robert Scola when delivering the sentence.

The sentence for Gonzales was lighter than the prosecutor's demand, which was 30 to 37 months. This lenient sentence was because Judge Scola took into account the nearly 14 months of detention in Colombia's poor conditions before being extradited to the US. Gonzalez, who is currently free on bail at her daughter's home in Miami, must surrender herself on June 6 to begin her sentence.

Sorry customer

Gonzalez's use of leather in his trade is actually not prohibited. However, the leather comes from protected wild animals and requires strict monitoring based on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

GETTY IMAGES/JEFF SPICER

Actress Salma Hayek at an event in London, England, in September 2017.

Salma Hayek, Britney Spears, and Victoria Beckham are among the celebrities who have purchased Gonzalez handbags known for their carefully crafted handmade designs. These works were also featured in the 2008 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The Gozales handbag is also sought after by the most prominent fashion houses on the planet. In court, Gonzalez's lawyer also presented a video recorded in 2019 to prove the purchase of his client's products by several top fashion houses. Buyers from these world-renowned fashion houses praised Gonzales's creativity, productivity, and humanity.

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Prosecutor Watts-Fitzgerald said that the buyers of those bags are surely regretting it now. "They must regret having done that. If they hear it being brought up in court, they will feel frightened. Because they have their own brand that must be protected," he said.

Despite continued protests from animal lovers and environmental activists, designer handbags continue to be in high demand at high prices. This is because luxury handbags are symbols of wealth and exclusivity, as quoted from the Wall Street Journal, Foxnews, and Central News Asia.

KOMPAS/ADRYAN YOGA PARAMADWYA

Mall visitors carry shopping bags at Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta, Saturday (18/3/2023).

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The rarer the animal, the more expensive the products that use its skin. This is due to the perception that leather products are prestigious. Its price supports that perception. The average price of a Chanel bag made of snake skin is Rp 150 million. There are also crocodile skin jackets worth Rp 300 million.

For some brands, the prices of their products continue to rise despite them being stored for a long time. People treat them as investment tools. "We need to change the mindset regarding leather," said Yvonne Taylor, Corporate Projects Manager of the Animal Welfare Organization PETA UK. (AP/AFP)