Dolce & Gabbana claim they will go out of business if forced to pay tax evasion fine Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have said they are 'being crucified like thieves' and will go out of business if they are forced to pay a £300 million fine for tax evasion. The duo recently lost a lengthy court case in which they were accused of evading more than €400 million in taxes after selling their brands to a holding company called Gado, which they established in Luxuembourg in 2004, enabling them to avoid a higher tax rate. They were given 20 month jail terms and have been ordered to pay 343.4 million euros plus interest but are appealing the sentence. His fashion partner Dolce added: "We will close. What do you want us to do? We will close. We will not be able to deal with it. (It's) Impossible. Following the sentence, Milan city councillor Franco D'Alfonso said the city should not give any public space to the designers, saying: "We do not need tax evaders to promote us." The duo subsequently closed their Milan stores, bars and restaurants for three days in protest . They say they now want to put the episode behind them and are happy to meet with Giuliano Pisapia, the mayor of Milan, who accused them of overreacting .