LONDON (AP) — British model Naomi Campbell has been banned from being a charity trustee in England and Wales for five years after the anti-poverty charity she founded there nearly two decades was judged Thursday to have been “poorly governed” with “inadequate financial management.” »
Following a three-year investigation into the financial activities of Fashion for Relief, the Charity Commission, which registers and regulates charities in England and Wales, said it had uncovered “several instances of misconduct and/or mismanagement,” and that only 8.5% of the charity’s overall spending was on charitable grants over a six-year period from 2016.
For example, it said thousands of pounds of charitable funds were used to pay for a luxury hotel stay in Cannes, France, for Campbell, as well as spa treatments, room service and even cigarettes. The regulator demanded an explanation from the trustees, but said no evidence had been provided to support their explanation that hotel costs were usually covered by a donor to the charity, and therefore cost nothing to the charity.
Campbell, 54, said she was “extremely concerned” by the regulator’s findings and that an investigation by them was underway.
“I did not have control of my charity, I gave control of it to a legal employer,” she said in response to a question from the AP after being named a knight of the Order of Arts and Letters at the Ministry of Culture. for his contribution to French culture. “We are investigating what and how, and everything I do and every penny I raise goes to charity.”
The commission, which registers and regulates charities in England and Wales, also found that fellow trustee Bianka Hellmich received around 290,000 pounds ($385,000) in unauthorized funds for consultancy services, which was in breach of the charity’s constitution. She was disqualified as a director for nine years. The other administrator, Veronica Chou, was banned for four years.
“Trustees are legally required to make decisions that are in the best interests of their charity and to comply with their legal duties and responsibilities,” said Tim Hopkins, deputy director of specialist investigations and standards. “Our investigation found that the trustees of this charity failed to do so, leading us to disqualify them. »
The charity, founded in 2005 following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, was dissolved and removed from the charitable register earlier this year. On its still-active website, the association said it had showcased fashion initiatives and projects in New York, London, Cannes, Moscow, Mumbai and Dar es Salaam, raising more than $15 million for good causes in the world.
The charity was established with the aim of uniting the fashion industry to fight poverty and advance health and education, by providing grants to other organizations and providing resources to make in the face of global catastrophes.
The commission said about 344,000 pounds ($460,000) had been recovered and a further 98,000 pounds of charitable funds had been protected. These funds were used to make donations to two other charities and settle outstanding debts.
“I am pleased that the investigation has uncovered donations made to other charities that this charity has previously supported,” said the regulator’s Hopkins.
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The spirit reported from Paris.
