Gucci family drama unfolds in court case

LOS ANGELES – The great granddaughter of the man who created the Gucci luxury brand, who alleges she was sexually abused by her stepfather, does not want her mother in the same room when she testifies in an upcoming deposition in her lawsuit, maintaining that having either person present would be too traumatic.

Alexandra Zarini is suing her mother, Patricia Gucci – the granddaughter of Guccio Gucci, and daughter of Aldo Gucci – in Los Angeles Superior Court. Patricia Gucci, now 61, was born during Aldo Gucci’s extramarital affair with Bruna Palombo, who is a co-defendant in the case along with Zarini’s stepfather, Joseph Ruffalo. A judge previously stayed the part of Zarini’s case against Palombo, who is in her 80s and lives in Italy, while she appeals his decision not to quash the summons in the suit.

Alexandra Gucci Zarini, great granddaughter of the man who created the Gucci luxury brand, alleges she was sexually abused by her stepfather. Screencap: alexandraguccizarini/IG

Patricia Gucci was married to Ruffalo, a former music manager, from 1993 to 2008. They lived together in Los Angeles from 1992-98 and she left him after her daughter allegedly told her he was sexually abusing her.

Ruffalo’s lawyer recently filed court papers with Judge Michael Small lending support to a motion by Patricia Gucci to be permitted to be present when her daughter is deposed, despite the opposition of Zarini’s attorneys.

Patricia Gucci’s lawyers maintain that their client, who lives in Europe and owns a small business, has often changed her flight plans in order to be in the same room when her daughter is deposed and that Gucci will not agree to having to view the session virtually. A hearing is scheduled for March 26.

However, in pleadings filed Wednesday, Zarini’s lawyers say they don’t want Gucci or Ruffalo in the same room with their client during her deposition.

“Gucci’s demand that plaintiff be deposed in her personal presence is a patently transparent effort to intimidate her, to cause her emotional distress and to inhibit her efforts to give her best testimony at deposition,” Zarini’s attorneys argue in their court papers.

Although Zarini is not insisting that the deposition be conducted virtually, that would be the easiest solution to the issues before the court without prejudicing Gucci and the other defendants, the plaintiff’s attorneys state.

According to Zarini’s suit, which was filed in September 2020, Gucci and Palombo failed to protect Zarini’s alleged assaults and fostered an environment allowing Ruffalo to sexually assault the plaintiff. The suit also alleges sexual battery, gender violence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Patricia Gucci compounded her daughter’s suffering by sexualizing her for Ruffalo’s benefit and also by physically, mentally and emotionally abusing Zarini, the suit alleges.

Patricia Gucci’s lawyers maintained in their earlier court papers that Ruffalo, not their client, and his alleged abuses were the cause of Zarini’s injuries and that therefore the plaintiff was precluded from avoiding the statute of limitations by claiming to do so under a special statute.

Patricia Gucci’s lawyers also maintained in their court papers that she was not negligent because she did not know Ruffalo was allegedly abusing Zarini until her daughter reached age 22 and disclosed what had happened. (CNS)