A former assistant to iconic Vogue creative director Grace Coddington is being accused of stealing more than $50,000 from her then-boss.
Yvonne Bannigan, the 25-year-old former assistant, made unauthorized charges totaling $53,564 to Coddington's credit cards, a spokesperson for the district attorney told BuzzFeed News.
She also allegedly made $9,000 selling Coddington's things, such as bags and shoes, on the RealReal luxury consignment site.
Bannigan, who is from Dublin but now lives in New York as a naturalized US citizen, was arrested in April. She faces charges of grand larceny.
Authorities say the unauthorized charges were made over the course of nearly two years, between May 1, 2016, and April 10, 2018.
Coddington, a former model, began working as Vogue's creative director in 1988. In 2016, she stepped down and took on the role of creative director at large.
According to Bannigan's LinkedIn, she began working for Coddington in February 2016, following a year of being a freelance assistant at Vogue.
Prior to her work at Vogue, she interned at Elle magazine, Zac Posen, and JW Anderson.
Bannigan "has maintained her innocence," her attorney, Michael T. Cornacchia, told BuzzFeed News.
"Persons inside and outside the fashion industry who know Yvonne have expressed support for her in this difficult time," said Cornacchia.
While not formally charged as of yet, she has "surrendered her passports to the prosecutors," he said.
"Yvonne is fortunate to have a wonderful family who have provided full support," he said. "Like Yvonne, they have never wavered in their belief in her innocence."