Gucci has long been one of the most sought after fashion brands in the world. Seen on the likes of Sienna Miller; Beyonce, Katy Perry, and more — it’s truly unbelievable what the fashion house has managed to accomplish. But behind enemy lines; billions of dollars and a grisly murder — Gucci family members are in part to blame for their own modern troubles.
Guccio Gucci founded Gucci in 1921 — and since then the Gucci family has enjoyed wealth like no other human could possibly imagine. Following his death, his grandson Maurizio Gucci inherited a bulk of his grandfathers’ mammoth company but it came out a harrowing price. \
But the history of the family ‘s shocking scandals goes back even further than that. Maurizio and Patrizia met (per marriage records) in 1973. But their once glamorous marriage and the resulting two daughters that came from that marriage swiftly came to an end just a short few years later.
Enter: 2 May 1985. It was this day that Patrizia Reggiani likely plotted to first kill her husband (which she was later sentenced to prison for.) On this day, Patrizia learned that Gucci had no intentions of returning home and actually didn’t. His estate had informed Patrizia that he was not going to return home; had intended to file for divorce and that their relationship had abruptly come to an end.
Much of the Gucci family ‘s problems began around the year 1993. Armed with hundreds of millions in cash (thanks to selling his stock to a foreign company) Maurizio was unhinged and unbelievably loaded. At the time, he was married to a woman named Patrizia Reggiani who had long sought for greater access to the Gucci name; its wealth, and the sheer power and influence that it wielded.
But for many years she remained in an opulent bubble brought on by the fact that Maurizio allegedly never wanted her in the first place and had planned to divorce her for another woman. Scorned alert.
Initially, upon the divorce, Reggiani was believed to be content considering she had collected and handsomely an annual payment equal to $500,000 at the time from Gucci ‘s estate. But that wasn’t enough for a woman who once famously said: “I’ve never worked a day in my life and I don’t intend to start now.”
Fast forward to 1995, Reggiani had allegedly blown through her own finances and needed more. So much more that she was willing to go to extreme lengths to maintain the lavish lifestyle she had known for so many years. On 25 March 1995, Reggiani committed the ultimate act of glamoured betrayal after hiring a hit-man to assassinate Gucci in broad daylight.
31 January 1997 — Conviction for the murder of Maurizio Gucci
On this day, Patrizia was arrested and detained on suspicion that she hired and knowingly hired a hitman to murder Gucci. A year later in 1998, Reggiani was convicted of said hiring and sentenced to more than 29 years in prison. The case garnered such intense media scrutiny that she would go on to earn the nickname The Black Widow. In 2000, her daughters tried to argue for the release of the Black Widow by claiming in court documents that she had a brain tumour.
While in prison that same year, she reportedly tried to commit suicide in prison but was rescued by prison guards.
Aftermath
As of 2019, Reggiani is now the subject of a Ridley Scott film that has an unknown release date. The film starring Lady Gaga (who plays Reggiani) will focus on the life of Reggiani pre and post Gucci. The film has garnered criticism from Gucci ‘s family who has tried to quash much of the interest surrounding Maurizio ‘s murder.
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