Dolce and Gabbana Designers Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Tax Evasion

Get the legal scoop on the fashion duo's conviction

By Brett Malec Apr 30, 2014 8:51 PMTags
Domenico Dolce, Stefano Gabbana Harold Cunningham/Getty Images for DETAILS

This is so not in fashion.

Dolce & Gabbana designers Domenico Dolce, 55, and Stefano Gabbana, 51, were each sentenced to 18 months in prison by an Italian appeals court today after being convicted on charges of hiding hundreds of millions of euros from Italian tax authorities. The court upheld a guilty ruling that was made back in June 2013. The sentence, which was suspended, was reduced from 20 months to 18 because of the statute of limitations in Italian law.

Dolce and Gabbana's accountant Luciano Patellito also received a suspended sentence of one year and six months in prison.

Dolce and Gabbana were charged after they sold their brand to the Luxembourg-based company Gado in 2004 to avoid having to pay dues in Italy, which has been hard up for cash thanks to the ongoing economic crisis in the Euro zone.

"I am speechless. We are all shocked," Massimo Dinoia, a lawyer for Dolce and Gabbana, reportedly said afer the initial ruling. "The judgment is inexplicable and we will appeal."

Celeb fans of the D&G designers include Scarlett Johansson, Katy Perry, Jennifer Hudson and Victoria Beckham, to name a few.