Alexandra Gucci Zarini, a 40-year-old great‑granddaughter of fashion house founder Guccio Gucci, told a Los Angeles jury on Monday that she was sexually abused as a child for years by her then stepfather, Joseph Ruffalo, who has denied the allegations.
Zarini is seeking tens of millions of dollars in a civil suit against Ruffalo, now 85, who her attorneys say admitted himself to a facility that treats pedophiles. The case opened in Los Angeles Superior Court before a 12‑member jury. Ruffalo, a former music manager who worked with artists including Prince and Earth, Wind & Fire, has pleaded not guilty to the claims.
In opening statements, Zarini’s lead attorney, Gary Dordick, told jurors the case is "about the innocence of a child" and described what he called "overwhelming evidence" that Ruffalo was a sexual predator. Dordick said the abuse began when Zarini was about six or seven years old and continued through her childhood. He described repeated episodes in which Ruffalo allegedly entered her bedroom, exposed himself and fondled her, and said the conduct left Zarini with long‑term psychological harm.
Dordick told the court Zarini spent much of her life attempting to suppress the memories, developed self‑harming behaviors and substance‑use problems she attributed to the trauma, and sought extensive medical and psychiatric treatment, including rehabilitation after an overdose. He said Zarini has worked to rebuild her life and established the Alexandra Gucci Children’s Foundation to combat child sexual abuse.
Ruffalo’s co‑defense counsel, Donna Rotunno, told the jury the family was "tight‑knit but very dysfunctional" and that Ruffalo and Zarini’s mother, Patricia Gucci, were platonic friends for a decade before marrying. Rotunno said some of Zarini’s struggles predated Ruffalo’s arrival and argued the lawsuit was motivated by financial gain. She also disputed aspects of Zarini’s account about her relationship with her mother and siblings.
Courtroom witnesses and filings say Zarini sat in the front row of the gallery near the jury during the first day of the trial and appeared visibly distressed. Dordick told the jury that Zarini and her younger sister, Victoria Gucci‑Losio, were instructed to show affection and respect for Ruffalo even as the alleged abuse was taking place. Dordick said Zarini warned her sister to stay away from Ruffalo and that the sister has since become estranged from Zarini and did not want the matter publicized.
Plaintiff’s counsel also told the court that Ruffalo had attended a clinic for people with pedophilic disorders in South Africa and had acknowledged being "sick," and that he previously was admitted to a facility that treats pedophiles. Ruffalo’s legal team has declined to confirm those statements in court but has disputed the allegations and contested Zarini’s motives and credibility.
Zarini filed her civil suit in 2020. Court documents and public accounts say she first disclosed the alleged abuse to family members and a family doctor in London in 2007, prompting Patricia Gucci to begin divorce proceedings against Ruffalo that year. Media reports have quoted Patricia Gucci as saying she was devastated by her daughter’s disclosure and that she initiated a divorce and counseling for the family. Patricia Gucci has also previously denied other allegations levied by her daughter and, in earlier statements reported by news outlets, characterized some accusations as an attempt to extort the family.
The attorneys’ descriptions of family dynamics in court highlighted years of estrangement and disagreement over how the disclosure was handled. Dordick said Zarini had been punished as a child for taking excessive showers and for pulling out her hair, behaviors he said were cries for help that went unrecognized or were met with discipline. Rotunno disputed the timeline and some of the behavioral assertions the plaintiff’s team presented.
Zarini dropped a related negligence claim against her mother days before the trial began; a joint statement from Zarini and Patricia Gucci released after that dismissal said they had decided to end that portion of the lawsuit and hoped to move forward. The main civil claim against Ruffalo, which seeks monetary damages for the alleged abuse and its aftermath, remains before the court.
Ruffalo, who is in his mid‑80s, has been described in filings and media reports as a former music manager. He has denied the abuse allegations through his attorneys. Co‑counsel for Ruffalo declined to comment when contacted by one media outlet.
The opening day of the trial included testimony outlining alleged acts and the psychological toll Zarini says she has suffered since childhood. Both sides signaled that they intend to call witnesses and introduce evidence to support sharply different versions of events: the plaintiff’s team portraying a pattern of predatory behavior and long‑term harm, and the defense portraying a blended‑family relationship and challenging the credibility and motives of the plaintiff.
Civil trials in California can hinge on testimonial credibility, corroborating evidence and the jury’s assessment of damages. The proceedings are expected to continue with witness testimony and documentary evidence over the coming days. The case is being closely watched because of Zarini’s family name and the detailed personal testimony expected in court.