BOGOTA, COLOMBIA: Nancy Gonzalez, Colombian-born handbag designer whose pricey creations were seen on 'Sex and the City' and sought by A-listers like Victoria Beckham, has been extradited to the United States on charges of collusion and smuggling related to the use of endangered species in her high-end handbag lines.
The founder of Gzuniga Ltd, 78, consented to the extradition and had her fingerprints taken before being accompanied by Interpol agents onto a private jet from Bogota, Colombia, to Florida, on Wednesday, August 30, as reported by Daily Mail.
She faces a 25-year prison sentence or a $500,000 fine if found guilty of the allegations.
Nancy Gonzalez's designs were favored by Victoria Beckham and Kris Jenner
Born in Cali, Colombia, luxury handbag designer Gonzalez is well-known for being one of the most renowned handbag designers. She creates her crocodile handbags using priceless exotic skins and a distinctive color scheme.
She began by designing bags that showcased Colombia's natural beauty and culture and the major benefits of her brand are "quality, exclusivity, authenticity, and timelessness."
The luxury accessories industry has been dominated by the Colombian-based brand recognized for its usage of exotic skins since the early 2000s.
Gonzalez initially made belts but changed her focus to handbags in the late 1990s after visiting New York, where a designer store owner encouraged her to start compiling a collection.
In 1998, Gonzalez launched her first US product line, an eight-piece collection offered at Bergdorf Goodman. Her brand won the Accessories Council's 2007 Brand of the Year award and was featured in an exhibition at the New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2008.
According to court documents obtained by the New York Post, federal authorities in Florida accused Gonzalez, her staff, and co-defendants Jhon Camilo Jaramillo and Diego Mauricio Rodriguez in April 2022 on conspiracy and smuggling charges.
Prior to her legal issues, high-profile customers like Salma Hayek, Britney Spears, Victoria Beckham, and Kris Jenner reportedly favored Gonzalez's designs, as per the Australian Broadcasting Company.
Is Santiago Barberi Gonzalez the son of Nancy Gonzalez?
Gonzalez launched her brand with the help of her late son Santiago Barberi Gonzalez, who was the president and creative director of Nancy Gonzalez Group, one of the biggest suppliers of crocodile bags in the world.
Santiago, a native of Cali, Colombia, and his mother established the Nancy Gonzalez handbag company in 1998 - well-known for its opulent crocodile designs in candy hues.
The designer handbags are available at shops like Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Harrods, as per Hollywood Reporter.
Santiago died in March 2017 in his sleep at the age of 40.
Nancy Gonzalez was detained in July 2022 in her hometown of Cali
According to Newsflash, Gonzalez was purportedly in possession of multiple handbags made of python skin and a football made of caiman hide when she was apprehended in her hometown of Cali in July 2022.
She was also discovered to have purchased snakeskin and deer skins illegally, intending to turn them into bags, per a joint investigation by Colombian and European officials.
Gonzalez extradited on smuggling charges for using endangered species
Prior to being escorted by Interpol agents onboard a private plane from Bogota to Florida on Wednesday, Gonzale had her fingerprints taken and had signed extradition paperwork.
She was charged with hiring a network of couriers to fly a large number of bags made from endangered python and caiman skins between Columbia and the US.
Gonzalez's satchels were sold at upscale department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman for up to $10,000 each.
Her alleged use of mules to smuggle more than 200 handbags and purses made of python and caiman skin into the US without a visa may result in up to 20 years in jail and fines of $500,000.
The majority of caiman species are threatened with extinction, however, some skins may be traded provided the vendor possesses a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) certificate.
Gonzalez allegedly violated CITES of Wild Fauna and Flora between 2016 and 2019 by using mules to import over 200 handbags and purses made of python and caiman skin into the US without a license.
