Designer Nancy Gonzalez Sentenced to Jail for smuggling Exotic Handbags

Nancy Teresa Gonzalez de Barberi, a celebrity handbag designer, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for illegally importing bags made from crocodile and snake skin without proper permits. She and her associates conspired to circumvent U.S. and Colombian laws around endangered species protection. Despite warnings, the scheme continued until she was arrested in Colombia in 2022. Gonzalez pleaded guilty to smuggling charges in 2023 and was sentenced to a reduced term due to time served in Colombia. Her lawyers argued that she made poor decisions under pressure, citing personal tragedies including her son’s suicide. Gonzalez’s company, Gzuniga Ltd., was also put on probation.

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