London - The late Gianni Versace's fashion empire yesterday accepted substantial undisclosed libel damages and apologies over British newspaper allegations that the company was involved with the Mafia.
The action followed articles in the Observer and Independent newspapers in July shortly after the 50-year-old designer was shot dead outside his Miami mansion. Lawyers for Versace, his brother, Santo, and sister, Donatella, said the family had brought the case over an Observer article - entitled "Mafia `Black Hand' put Versace in fear of his life" - to show that any such allegation was untrue and to clear their name.