Miami, Florida – A Colombian luxury handbag designer, known for creating handbags carried by celebrities like Victoria Beckham and Salma Hayek, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling purses made of skins from protected reptiles.
Nancy Gonzalez, 71, was convicted of illegally importing handbags made from caimans and pythons, violating an international treaty signed by both Colombia and the US. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) protects these animals, which are similar to alligators and pythons.
Gonzalez’s scheme involved enlisting relatives to transport the prohibited handbags into the US without the required import permits. Between 2016 and 2019, she used friends, family, and employees to bring the bags on passenger airlines to the US before sending them to her showroom in New York.
The handbags made from CITES-protected reptile skins were sold for thousands of dollars in luxury stores such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Harrods. They were also worn by high-profile personalities and featured in exhibitions at prestigious venues like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Edward Grace of the US Fish and Wildlife Service condemned Gonzalez’s actions as a multi-year scheme that exploited protected species for profit. He emphasized the importance of holding individuals accountable for circumventing international regulations designed to safeguard these animals.
Gonzalez, who was arrested in Cali, Colombia in 2022 and extradited to the US, expressed remorse during her court appearance. She acknowledged making poor decisions under pressure and apologized to the United States for her actions.
The case serves as a reminder of the strict regulations surrounding the trade in endangered species and the consequences faced by individuals who attempt to profit from the exploitation of protected animals. Prosecutors continue to pursue justice for wildlife conservation and sustainable trade practices to prevent further abuse of endangered species for commercial gain.