Veronica Ferraro defends Chiara Ferragni: 'She was treated like Satan, a disproportionate trauma'
In a Corriere della Sera interview, influencer Veronica Ferraro spoke out about the Pandoro Gate backlash against Chiara Ferragni, calling it a 'disproportionate trauma' and recounting the moment Ferragni broke down in tears.
The defense
In an interview with Corriere della Sera published on 2 August 2026, influencer Veronica Ferraro spoke out in defense of Chiara Ferragni, her longtime friend. The Pandoro Gate scandal, which ended with Ferragni's acquittal, had subjected the entrepreneur to intense public scrutiny. Ferraro described the backlash as wildly disproportionate, saying Ferragni was "painted as Satan" and noting that at one village festival, an effigy of Ferragni was burned. "It was a disproportionate trauma," Ferraro said, adding that she doubted anyone could have remained standing under such pressure.
Her whole world collapsed at the same moment. She was painted as Satan. I even remember that at a village festival they burned an effigy of her. I don't know who could have stayed on their feet.
The friendship
Their bond began long before either was famous. Both started sharing photos on Flickr and later launched blogs: Ferragni's The Blonde Salad and Ferraro's The Fashion Fruit, which was opened by an ex-boyfriend who ran a social network with 300,000 members. Ferraro said Ferragni never changed, even at the peak of her success, keeping the same friends. She recalled a moment in Rapallo when Ferragni broke down in tears; Ferraro opened the window to the sea, and a ray of sun appeared through the clouds. She hugged her and said, "You'll see, sooner or later you'll see it too." Ferragni later referenced that moment at her wedding to Davide Simonetta. Ferraro insisted she did nothing special: "In friendships, there are periods when everything goes well and others when everything goes badly, and you have to be there anyway."
One morning she burst into tears. We opened the window onto the sea: a ray of sun appeared through the clouds. I hugged her and said: 'You'll see, sooner or later you'll see it too.'
Career paths
Ferraro, now 38 and with 1.3 million Instagram followers, worked for years as a shop assistant and visual merchandiser in a clothing chain, and spent summers waitressing at a pension in Pietra Ligure, where a guest told her she looked like Michelle Hunziker. She studied at Liceo Berchet, then Law and later Literature, but still needs three exams, including a Latin written test, to graduate. She described Ferragni as a pioneer who created a profession, always focused on business and quick to spot the next trend, and who built her career without shortcuts or connections. "She was very consistent in carrying forward her own story," Ferraro said. She also noted that the influencer profession is now more regulated thanks to the Agcom register, bringing greater transparency.
She created a profession. She was a pioneer. She always had a very quick vision of the sector and an eye on the next trend. She did everything on her own, without shortcuts or connections.
Personal life
Ferraro is married to Davide Simonetta, a music producer and songwriter whose credits include hits for Marco Mengoni, Annalisa, and Achille Lauro, and who is a constant presence in Sanremo author lists. She met him through Fedez, Ferragni's ex-husband, and initially thought Simonetta was a woman. The couple has a son, Orlando, born via assisted reproduction. At their wedding, Annalisa performed. Ferraro comes from a simple family: her father was a geologist, her mother worked in insurance, and they initially discouraged her from taking risks, emphasizing the importance of studying. "They taught me not to take risks and, in a good way, also held me back," she said.
