A Paris appeals court has upheld the conviction of John Galliano’s former lawyer, confirming a two year suspended prison sentence for embezzling funds from the fashion designer and one of his companies. The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, mirrors the sentence handed down at first instance in June 2023.
The Paris Court of Appeal found Stéphane Zerbib guilty of breach of trust involving a total of 856,500 euros between 2008 and 2011, as well as the use of forged documents. The case stems from a complaint filed by Galliano in April 2011, in which the designer accused Zerbib of misappropriating close to three million euros through unauthorized cash withdrawals and bank transfers.
At the time the alleged misconduct took place, Galliano was experiencing a highly turbulent period in his career and personal life. In early 2011, he was dismissed from his role at the House of Dior following antisemitic remarks made at a Paris bar and subsequently entered a rehabilitation clinic in Arizona to address substance related issues.
During the appeal hearing, Zerbib denied any fraudulent activity, maintaining that he did not unlawfully withdraw funds from Galliano’s personal accounts or from Cheyenne Freedom, one of the designer’s companies.
The court also upheld a one year suspended prison sentence for Zerbib’s wife, Danielle Nahon. A legal adviser who worked with Galliano during the same period, she was convicted of breach of trust, use of forged documents, and unlawfully presenting herself as a lawyer.
In addition to the criminal sentences, the court ordered Zerbib and Nahon to jointly compensate Galliano with 145,000 euros in material damages and 5,000 euros in moral damages. They were also ordered to pay 606,605 euros to Cheyenne Freedom.
The ruling brings a significant legal chapter to a close in a case that has followed one of fashion’s most prominent designers through a long period of professional and personal rebuilding.
