Naomi Campbell has responded after being barred from being a charity trustee in England and Wales for five years after the poverty charity she founded nearly two decades ago was found to have been “poorly governed” with “inadequate financial management.”
Following a three-year investigation into Fashion for Relief’s financial activities, the Charity Commission, which registers and regulates charities in England and Wales, said it had found “multiple instances of misconduct and/or mismanagement” and that only 8.5% of the charity’s overall expenditure went on charitable grants in a six-year period beginning in 2016.
Despite being billed as a charitable organization that provided grants to help fund various environmental and humanitarian causes, officials claimed the charity was “poorly governed and had inadequate financial management.”
The inquiry, released on Thursday, identified “multiple instances of misconduct,” including using charity money to pay for a five-star hotel stay for Noami Campbell in southern France.
The commission wrote that funds that should have gone to charity were instead spent on luxury hotel rooms, spa treatments, room service, and cigarettes. Between April 2016 and July 2022, the investigation discovered that only 8.5% of Fashion for Relief’s total expenditure was spent on charitable grants.
In a statement addressing the allegations, Campbell expressed shock, revealing that she was unaware of the board’s findings until recently. “I have just found out about the findings today, and I am extremely concerned. We are investigating on our side as I was not in control of my charity,” she explained.
According to Campbell, the responsibility for handling the charity’s finances had been placed in the hands of a legal advisor, distancing herself from any wrongdoing. “I put the control in the hands of a legal lawyer. And so we are investigating to find out what and how,” she continued, emphasizing her dedication to philanthropy. “Everything I do and every penny I have ever raised goes towards charities.”
Campbell’s charity work has long been part of her public image. She has participated in a variety of charitable causes and hosted fundraising events throughout her career.
However, recent allegations have palliated her efforts, raising concerns among fans and supporters about the organization’s integrity.
