Nancy Gonzalez, a renowned Colombian-born fashion designer, known for her exquisite handbags crafted from exotic skins, was arrested on July 9, 2022, in her hometown of Cali, Colombia. She faces charges of smuggling crocodile handbags into the United States, along with two other men, Diego Rodrigruez and John Aguilar.
The trio is accused of violating international agreements on the importation of endangered animal products. Gonzalez's handbags, which can sell for up to $10,000 in designer stores across the United
States and Europe, have been featured in popular films and television shows such as 'Sex and the City' and 'The Devil Wears Prada.' Her creations have also been carried by celebrities like Britney Spears, Victoria Beckham, and Salma Hayek.
Despite the legal sale of some crocodile skins, it requires obtaining a certificate, which can be costly and difficult to acquire. However, Gonzalez allegedly never obtained the necessary documentation.
Instead, she and her colleagues are accused of paying couriers to smuggle hundreds of handbags made from endangered python and caiman skin into the U.S. through Miami and JFK airports between February 2016 and 2020.
In one instance in 2019, as many as 12 passengers boarded a flight to the U.S., each carrying four handbags, with round-trip tickets funded by Gonzalez . If questioned by customs officials, the smugglers were instructed to claim that the bags were gifts for friends and family…
