Julius OkorieBritish supermodel, Naomi Campbell, has been barred from being a charity trustee in England and Wales for five years, following discovery of massive funds diversion.
The Charity regulator following thorough investigation, discovered that only 8.5% of Charity’s overall expenditure went to actual charity efforts in a six-year period from 2016.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe chunk of the funds according to the investigation revealed that thousands of pounds worth of charity 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 sought explanations from the trustees but said no evidence was provided to back up their explanation that hotel costs were typically covered by a donor to the charity, therefore not costing the charity. Recall that investigation into the financial activities of “Fashion for Relief” has been ongoing for the past three years.
Campbell who delivered a speech after receiving an award at the Culture ministry, in Paris, on September 26, 2024 had this to say in response:
“I was not in control of my charity, I put the control in the hands of a legal lawyer,” she said right after receiving the prestigious Ordre des Arts et des Lettres award at the French Culture Ministry in Paris.
“We are investigating to find out what and how, and everything I do and every penny I ever raised goes to charity.”
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The Charity commission said that around 344,000 pounds ($460,000) has been recovered and that a further 98,000 pounds of charitable funds have been protected. These funds were used to make donations to two other charities and settle outstanding liabilities.
The regulator also found that fellow trustee, Bianka Hellmich, received around 290,000 pounds ($385,000) of unauthorised funds for consultancy services, which was in breach of the charity’s constitution. She has been disqualified as a trustee for nine years. The other trustee, Veronica Chou, was barred for four years.
Fashion For Relief, which was founded in 2005 was dissolved and removed from the register of charities earlier this year.
The charity said on its website that it presented fashion initiatives and projects in New York, London, Cannes, Moscow, Mumbai and Dar es Salaam and raised over $15 million around the world.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
