Naomi Campbell Charity Ban Sparks Investigation Into Fund Misuse

Supermodel Naomi Campbell has been banned from acting as a charity trustee after a Charity Commission inquiry uncovered significant misuse of funds at her charity, Fashion for Relief. The investigation revealed that charity money, which was meant to support good causes, was instead spent on luxury hotels, spa treatments, cigarettes, and security for Campbell and other trustees.

The inquiry, which covered the charity’s expenses between April 2016 and July 2022, found that only 8.5% of the funds raised were given to charities. The rest of the money was spent on questionable expenses, leading to the disqualification of Campbell and two other trustees, Bianka Hellmich and Veronica Chou. Campbell is banned for five years, while Hellmich and Chou face bans of nine and four years respectively.

A significant portion of the funds raised by Fashion for Relief came from high-profile fundraising events that promised to benefit charities like Save the Children Fund and the Mayor’s Fund for London. However, the Charity Commission found that the organization failed to uphold its commitments, leading to complaints from both charities.

One of the key findings of the investigation was that unauthorized payments of £290,000 were made to trustee Bianka Hellmich for consultancy services. This payment violated the charity’s rules, though Hellmich later offered to repay the money. Thanks to efforts by the Commission’s interim managers, nearly £345,000 was recovered from the charity’s accounts.

The watchdog also secured protections for an additional £98,000 of charity funds. The recovered funds were used to cover Fashion for Relief’s liabilities and were distributed to other charities, including Save the Children and the Mayor’s Fund for London.

Tim Hopkins, who led the investigation, stated that the charity’s trustees had failed in their legal duties. “Trustees are required by law to act in the best interests of their charity,” Hopkins said. “Our inquiry found that this was not the case, resulting in the disqualification of the trustees.”

Following these findings, Fashion for Relief was officially removed from the charity register on 15 March 2024. Campbell, who expressed concern about the investigation’s findings, has yet to comment on her future involvement in charitable work. Despite her five-year ban, Campbell’s name will remain closely associated with the charity scandal, raising questions about accountability in high-profile fundraising organizations.

The scandal serves as a stark reminder of the responsibilities that come with overseeing charitable donations. For now, the funds recovered from Fashion for Relief will provide some relief to the intended beneficiaries, but the reputational damage to the trustees is likely to last much longer.