Hong Kong judge acquits former Dolce & Gabbana president of corruption over alleged kickbacks worth HK$1.7 million
- Judge says authenticity of evidence cannot be established because key witness did not testify in court
- Michel Gonzalez was accused of receiving illegal rebates for arranging season-end products to be sold to online discount retailer in mainland China
The former president of high fashion house Dolce & Gabbana Hong Kong went free from court after he was cleared of accepting kickbacks worth HK$1.7 million (US$217,119) because the authenticity of incriminating evidence could not be established as a key witness was absent.
Michel Gonzalez, then president of the Italy-based firm’s presence in Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region, was accused of receiving illegal rebates from an intermediary company.
It was alleged he received the money for arranging season-end products worth HK$12.6 million to be sold to an online discount retailer in mainland China between 2013 and 2016.
The 57-year-old pleaded not guilty at the District Court to a charge of conspiracy for an agent to accept advantages.
Franco Jiang Jiafeng, 45, the major shareholder of the now-closed intermediary Imoda (HK), also denied the same corruption charge.
Deputy District Judge Jacky Ip Kai-leung, who delivered his verdict on Monday, held that Gonzalez had requested commission fees from Imoda (HK) by highlighting three invoices the intermediary received from Real Team International Group, a private company co-owned by the former D&G Hong Kong president and his wife.
