Connect with us

Fashion

Naomi Campbell banned from charity role for 5 years after financial investigation

Published

2 days ago

on

Naomi Campbell banned from charity role for 5 years after financial investigation

play

Naomi Campbell is barred from serving as a charity trustee for five years after a United Kingdom watchdog group found evidence of financial misconduct at the model’s charity, Fashion for Relief.

The U.K.’s Charity Commission released a report Thursday, noting in a release that the charity was “poorly governed” and “had inadequate financial management.”

Its investigation found the charity spent less than 9% of its earnings on grants and causes, and that some of the charity’s expenses were “not reasonable.” This includes a stay at a five-star hotel and security for Campbell, 54, during an event at Cannes Film Festival in 2018, as well as “spa treatments, room service, and the purchase of cigarettes.”

USA TODAY has reached out to Campbell’s reps for comment.

Two of Campbell’s co-trustees, Bianka Hellmich and Veronica Chou, were also barred from serving as trustees for nine and four years, respectively. The Charity Commission’s investigation found Hellmich received over £290,000, or over $388,000, in consultancy fees, which were unauthorized by the commission.

The commission noted Fashion for Relief “failed to manage” partnerships with two charities: Save the Children Fund and the Mayor’s Fund for London. The commission brought in interim managers to make outstanding payments to the charities totaling about £345,000, or over $460,000.

Naomi Campbell remains iconic – and shades Anna Wintour – at Harlem’s Fashion Row event

“This inquiry, and the work of the interim managers we appointed to run the charity in place of the trustees, has resulted in the recovery of £344,000 and protection of a further £98,000 charitable funds,” said Tim Hopkins, Charity Commission deputy director, in a released statement. “I am pleased that the inquiry has seen donations made to other charities which this charity has previously supported.”

Fashion for Relief, which was officially registered in 2015, a decade after its founding, was dissolved and removed from the country’s register of charities this March.

The legendary British supermodel founded Fashion For Relief in 2005, which on its website says it has “supported many important humanitarian causes,” including the Ebola crisis and Hurricane Katrina, and other causes like Time’s Up.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading