Naomi Campbell, the world-renowned supermodel, has been banned from serving as a charity trustee after a Charity Commission inquiry revealed funds from her charity, Fashion for Relief, were misused.
The inquiry found that large sums of money were spent on luxury hotels, spa treatments, cigarettes, and security for Campbell and other unauthorized expenses instead of being passed on to the intended causes.
The investigation, which covered the charity’s operations from April 2016 to July 2022, found that only 8.5% of the funds raised by Fashion for Relief were spent on charitable grants. This failure to deliver on fundraising promises led to severe consequences for Campbell, 54, and two other trustees. Campbell has been banned from charity involvement for five years, while fellow trustees Bianka Hellmich and Veronica Chou face bans of nine and four years, respectively.
Campbell expressed her concern about the findings, telling AP news agency, “I’ve just found out today about the findings, and I am extremely concerned.” She also stated that she was not the person “in control” of the charity.
The inquiry also uncovered that £290,000 in unauthorized payments were made to Bianka Hellmich for consultancy services, in breach of the charity’s constitution. Although Hellmich had offered to repay the money, the Commission-appointed interim managers successfully recovered £345,000 from the charity and safeguarded an additional £98,000. These funds were distributed to Save the Children Fund and the Mayor’s Fund for London, two charities that had raised complaints against Fashion for Relief.
Fashion for Relief was removed from the register of charities on March 15, 2024. Tim Hopkins, part of the investigations team, emphasized the legal responsibilities of charity trustees, stating: “Trustees are legally required to make decisions that are in their charity’s best interests and to comply with their legal duties and responsibilities.”*
This ban comes as a significant blow to Campbell’s philanthropic reputation, casting doubt on the financial management of her charity.
