Elisabetta Franchi has been accused of stalking
The woman allegedly harassed her former collaborator over an affair with her partner.
January 15th, 2025
A recent investigation by the Bologna Prosecutor's Office seems to have closed regarding the designer Elisabetta Franchi, who, as reported by ANSA, risks going to trial on charges of stalking. This is not the first time the designer has had legal troubles: in the past, the Labor Court of Busto Arsizio had condemned her for discriminatory comments regarding women over 40, sparking strong social media backlash. However, the current accusations against her seem even more serious: defamation of a former collaborator, both privately and publicly. The case allegedly began in February 2024, when Franchi accused the woman — with whom she also had a friendship — of being the lover of her partner, alluding to these accusations in private conversations with mutual friends. She allegedly went so far as to write to the victim's partner. From there, defamatory messages and threats reportedly began, including: "Either you have the common sense to tell the truth, or I will be a tsunami in full force," as reported by Il Messaggero.
A key aspect of the investigation seems to be some posts on Instagram, particularly one from August, in which the designer wrote: "Have you ever lived the nightmare of discovering that your best friend, the one person you trusted blindly, not only betrayed you, but did so in the most despicable way possible?" The “best friend” in question was easily identified by Franchi's followers, sparking a shitstorm — defamatory and hate-filled comments — against the former collaborator. But it doesn't end there, as one of the contested episodes reportedly involved a meeting between the designer and the management of a bank where the victim works as a broker. During this meeting, Franchi allegedly accused her former friend of unprofessional conduct and incompetence, urging the institution to take action. The institution did not take any action, but this incident led the woman to take legal measures against Elisabetta Franchi. The harassment, in fact, caused a series of anxieties and fears, to the point of preventing the victim from going about her daily routine in peace.