The employment documents reviewed raise serious questions about the nature of the financial arrangements put in place between Philipp Plein and Lucia Bartoli during their relationship.
While Ms Bartoli was the long-term partner of Mr Plein and the mother of his two young children, she was forced to be formally placed on an employment contract within his corporate group, Philipp Plein Management GmbH in Lugano. Under that contract, she was designated as an “Executive Assistant to the President and CEO,” reporting directly to Mr Plein, with a fixed salary of CHF 54,000 per year (CHF 4,500 per month). However, Ms Bartoli never received this salary per month, as an automated salary. Ever. Ms Bartoli was also never permitted to undertake any paid work directly.
Ms Bartoli never received a company card, and she didn’t understand if this was in place or not. Instead, in early 2021 she was given what looked like a personal American Express card, (which matched his own personal card, same design and flower on it) which on the face of it was not linked to any company of Mr Plein. Mr Plein told Ms Bartoli that she should use for day – to – day expenses.
The structure of that contract - including the relatively modest fixed salary, strict personal reporting line to Mr Plein, and extensive confidentiality obligations - raises serious doubt as to whether it reflected a conventional employment relationship.
Instead, the arrangement appears to have functioned as a mechanism through which financial support was provided and controlled.
This arrangement remained in place from April 2020 until 22 July 2024, when Ms Bartoli was terminated with immediate effect when her relationship Mr Plein ended. The “termination letter” invoked “serious misconduct” and resulted in the instant withdrawal of all salary and financial support, alongside demands for the return of company property and the threat of further legal action.
Mr Plein then alleged that Ms Bartoli has stolen money from the company by using this American Express card. However, Ms Bartoli also never received the “termination letter” which had been sent by post to her flat, but had then been taken by Mr Plein’s team, so that she would not receive it. The first time that Ms Bartoli became aware of the letter was under cross examination. Legal experts note that where an employment contract does not reflect the true substance of a relationship, it should be treated as a sham arrangement. Which will give rise to significant legal consequences.
In Switzerland, such conduct may expose individuals and companies to:
• Tax reassessments and penalties, where payments are mischaracterized as salary rather than personal support;
• Fines or criminal liability for tax fraud in cases of intentional misrepresentation;
• Social security liabilities, including back payments and penalties relating to AHV/AVS contributions;
• Corporate governance breaches, including potential claims for misuse of company assets or false accounting under the Swiss Code of Obligations.
In the United States, where parallel principles apply, similar conduct may give rise to:
• IRS investigations for misclassification of payments and improper deduction of personal expenses as business costs;
• Civil penalties and interest, and in serious cases criminal exposure for tax fraud or false filings;
• Employment law violations, including misclassification and failure to comply with payroll obligations;
• Potential scrutiny under broader doctrines concerning fraudulent or sham transactions used to disguise the true nature of financial arrangements.
The situation is further compounded by the manner in which the arrangement was terminated. The immediate dismissal, coupled with allegations of misconduct and the complete withdrawal of financial support, raises concerns that the structure may have enabled one party to exercise unilateral financial control.
In circumstances where income is routed through a corporate employment mechanism controlled by one individual, the ability to terminate that arrangement instantly can have profound financial and personal consequences.
More broadly, this case raises serious concerns about the use of corporate structures to manage or control financial dynamics within intimate relationships, and the imbalance that can arise where one party controls both economic resources and legal positioning.
These are matters that warrant careful judicial and regulatory scrutiny.
23 comments
I can’t understand how Swiss law accepted a false employment that affects also the permit in the country.. and even if there is no prouf of employment salaries, working shifts.. still she got envicted !!
This situation Lucia is forced to live it is inhumane and it shows the corrupted system that is reigning in Switzerland.
Every person directly or inderectly involved in this case, should appeal every future decision that will be made in favour of MR PP to the Swiss court, then eventually present a case to the supreme court of Strasbourg ECtHR for violation of human rights and abuse of power.
It is very clear that Mr. PP imposed control from the beginning of their relationship. Basically, the money she allegedly spent on that card would have been her unpaid salary, in the worst case. What he did later was downright horrifying. This girl was simply annihilated by him when she no longer wanted to be manipulated. In any country in the world, these data are deeply suspicious and criminal. We await the reaction of the Swiss court. #justiceforluciabartoli
This case leaves me deeply upset and genuinely concerned.
Recent social media posts have prompted me to reflect on everything that has happened, and I am struggling to understand what appears to be a significant imbalance in how the situation is being handled.
From what I have seen, Philipp Plein has publicly shared personal and private messages, as well as video footage involving Lucia and the children.
The use of such material in a public forum raises serious questions about privacy, fairness, and the ability of all parties to respond safely and equally.
What troubles me most is the perception that one side is able to present a highly negative narrative publicly, while Lucia appears unable to defend herself openly due to fear or pressure.
This creates the impression of a one-sided portrayal, with one person cast as the hero and the other as the villain, without equal opportunity for response.
I am also concerned by reports that accounts supporting Lucia have been removed, and that she has been required to make a public apology.
If accurate, these actions raise important questions about the balance between freedom of expression, legal proceedings, and the protection of those involved.
Given the international nature of the case, I wonder whether an alternative jurisdiction or a more neutral venue might provide a setting that is perceived as fairer by both parties.
It’s control and financial violence !
yes he accused gradek of stealing is still on the internet. PP is psycho and he always has been. he thinks he controlls the world
Real strength is not measured by money, status, followers, or lawyers.
It is measured by how much humanity, restraint, and fairness someone shows when another person is vulnerable — especially the mother of their children.
Children deserve protection from conflict, not exposure to it ! P.P. and his lifestyle is not safe place for children!!!
Children need their mother ! Justice for Lucia
What I see here is the systematic public humiliation and destruction of a mother, both emotionally and physically. What concerns me most is the extreme imbalance of the situation: on one side, a man of considerable financial power; on the other, a young woman and mother of his two children who has been financially dependent on him for a long time.
I consider it highly problematic and difficult to reconcile with human dignity that one-sided documents and so-called expert opinions are being publicly disseminated even before or during ongoing proceedings.
Especially in family conflicts, the protection of children and privacy should be the top priority.
I also find the public portrayal of the mother to be defamatory. When accusations are spread in public without a court having reached a final decision, this can cause massive damage to her reputation. At the same time, it is noticeable that critical comments have been disabled, even although public accusations are being made against him.
Children have a right to their mother, just as a mother has a right to her children. These fundamental principles are not only self-evident from a human perspective but are also legally protected.
To many outsiders, this behavior does not look like a responsible way of handling a family conflict, but rather like a power struggle at the expense of the mother and, ultimately, the children as well.
#justiceforlucia❤️
This situation is beyond heartbreaking. This man is sick and vile. A true narcissistic, abusive, insecure selfish man. Taking the boys away from stability and true love to creating such an unstable environment for them. Young kids under 3 need the emotional attachment to their mother. He destabilized their entire childhood. Separating them from their mother, taking them to different countries , leaving the kids with 2 -3 Nannie’s, constantly going out, never buckling the boys in properly in the car seat, never giving the boys any privacy, the boys constantly have black eyes and bruises. Not to mention the dangerous environment they live in. So many stairs and pools with no child gate to prevent them from drowning. The neglect and trauma those boys are experiencing is horrific. I hope Lucia can be reunited with her sons 💗 Phillip doesn’t know how to parent , he just knows how to record. He has a team of Nannie’s, cleaners, and his mistress to take care of the kids while he continues to live his life. Meanwhile Lucia was doing it all alone by herself with minimal resources. This is so unfair. Justice for Lucia.
I am so appalled by this case and this miscarriage of justice. This « man » drags his exhausted children from country to country, time zone to time zone, cameras in their faces, a team of nannies running after them. They have no routine and no privacy. He is self obsessed, only thinks of himself, and thinks he’s a heroic father because he is wealthy. Lucia was an inconvenience for him. He cannot abide by a co-parenting schedule, he does not want to ask permission, he wants to go and do as he pleases with his children and could care less about the consequences. He views them as his « legacy » and not as human beings. His entire family is a clan of mentally ill individuals, not to mention his shady criminal manager. The best thing to happen to his oldest son was being kept away from him for so long. I pray for justice and the wellbeing of his children, that he will face true justice.