Colombia extradites celebrity designer to US over illegal leathers

Colombia has extradited to the United States a celebrity fashion designer wanted for the alleged smuggling of protected animal skin purses, police in the South American country said Wednesday.

Nancy Gonzalez's purses, clutches and wallets sell for thousands of US dollars apiece, have appeared on catwalks and TV shows and grace the shelves of high-end shops around the globe.

But the Colombian, 78, was arrested in July 2022 in Colombia on accusations related to more than 200 of the caiman- and python-skin products that were allegedly imported illegally and sold in the United States. 

Some of the skins were allegedly from species that were either protected or in danger of extinction. She risks a 25-year prison term.