Renowned fashion icon Nancy Gonzalez, celebrated for her designs worn by celebrities and featured in the hit TV series "Sex and the City," has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to smuggling crocodile handbags into the United States from Colombia.
Gonzalez faced her sentence in Miami federal court on Monday following her arrest in Cali, Colombia, in 2022, and subsequent extradition to the U.S. on charges of violating wildlife laws. Prosecutors revealed that Gonzalez orchestrated the smuggling operation, recruiting couriers to transport her luxury handbags on commercial flights, totaling an estimated $2 million worth of merchandise.
Advertisement
The designer bags, crafted from the hides of caiman and pythons bred in captivity, were brought into the country without the required import authorizations from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. U.S. Attorney Thomas Watts-Fitzgerald likened Gonzalez's actions to those of drug traffickers, emphasizing her apparent motivation by financial gain.
During the sentencing hearing, attorneys representing Gonzalez argued for leniency, highlighting her status as a single parent striving for financial independence. However, the presiding judge deemed Gonzalez's conduct as particularly "egregious," noting that U.S. officials had previously warned her against circumventing wildlife protection regulations in 2016 and 2017.
In a moment of contrition, Gonzalez addressed the court, expressing remorse for her actions and acknowledging her mistakes.
Advertisement
"From the bottom of my heart, I apologize to the United States of America. I never intended to offend a country to which I owe immense gratitude," she said tearfully. "Under pressure, I made poor decisions."
