Dolce & Gabbana Returns to Court for Alleged Tax Evasion Charges

Italian designers, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana will once again stand trial for alleged tax evasion charges valued at over $1.1 billion.

The Italian equivalent of a Supreme Court repealed the decision of Judge Simone Luerti from April 2011, who had originally found no grounds to proceed with the trial. Prosecutor Laura Pedio, from Milan, made an appeal to the Italian high court which decided that there will be a new preliminary hearing in front of a different judge.

The tax evasion accusation has been brought against the two Italian designers and five other defendents, which reportedly includes board member and brother of Domenico Dolce, Alfonso Dolce, and also the managing editor, Cristiana Ruella.

The designers have been accused of setting up a holding company by the name Grado Srl during 2004 wherein they sold various products in order to evade high taxes in the country.

However, both the designers have vehemently denied any such charges stating that they are nothing but results based on abstract calculation.