Naomi Campbell has been banned from running her charity, Fashion for Relief, due to findings of serious financial misconduct involving misuse of funds, including personal expenses like hotel stays and spa treatments. The inquiry showed only 8.5% of expenditures went to charitable grants, leading to a five-year disqualification for Campbell and two other trustees.
Naomi Campbell, the renowned former supermodel, has been banned from managing her charity, Fashion for Relief, following a U.K. Charity Commission inquiry that revealed serious financial misconduct. The investigation, made public on Thursday, uncovered instances of charity funds being misused for personal expenses, including lavish hotel stays and spa treatments for Campbell herself. The findings indicate that from April 2016 to July 2022, only 8.5% of the charity’s spending was allocated to grants for other charitable causes. Consequently, Campbell, now 54, faces a five-year disqualification from leading any charity in Britain. Alongside her, two other trustees received similar sanctions. Campbell has countered the allegations, claiming she had entrusted managerial control to a lawyer and asserted that any funds raised were fundamentally for charitable purposes. Fashion for Relief was established in 2005 aiming to support those in adversity by leveraging the fashion industry. The commission noted that without adequate supervision, several expenses, including a significant hotel bill during charity events and personal costs like room service and cigarettes, raised red flags concerning the trustees’ oversight. Earlier this year, the charity was officially dissolved and stripped of its charity status.
Naomi Campbell is a British supermodel who gained fame in the 1990s and became a prominent figure within the fashion industry. She founded the charity Fashion for Relief in 2005, with the intent to improve lives affected by crises, including disasters and refugee situations. While Campbell’s charity hosted numerous high-profile events aimed at fundraising, the recent U.K. Charity Commission investigation has shifted focus to the misuse of raised funds, raising significant questions about accountability and financial management within charitable organisations.
The investigation into Naomi Campbell’s Fashion for Relief has revealed serious misconduct regarding fund management, including excessive personal expenditure at the charity’s expense. With only a fraction of funds directed to grants, the Charity Commission’s finding has led to Campbell’s disqualification from managing charities for five years, highlighting the importance of governance in charitable operations.
Original Source: www.cbsnews.com