London — British supermodel Naomi Campbell will leave England and Wales on Thursday after the poverty charity she founded nearly 20 years ago was deemed to have “inadequate financial management” and “poor governance”. He was banned from being a director of a charity for five years.
The Charity Commission, which registers and regulates charities in England and Wales, found “multiple instances of fraud and/or mismanagement” following a three-year investigation into Fashion for Relief’s financial activities. , announced that only 8.5 of them were found. In the six years since 2016, % of total charity spending went to charitable grants.
For example, thousands of pounds worth of charity funds were used to pay for Campbell’s stay at a luxury hotel in Cannes, France, as well as spa treatments, room service and even cigarettes. The regulator has asked the trustees for clarification, but no evidence has been provided to support the trustees’ argument that hotel costs are typically borne by charity donors and therefore there are no costs to the charity. He said no.
Ms Campbell, 54, said she was “very concerned” by the regulator’s findings and that an investigation was ongoing on her part.
After being made a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters at France’s Ministry of Culture, she said in response to a question from The Associated Press: “I had no control over my charity work. I left control in the hands of my legitimate employer.” ” he said. For her contribution to French culture. “What we look at and how we look at it, and everything I do and every penny I raise goes to charity.”
The commission, which registers and regulates charities in England and Wales, said fellow director Bianca Helmich received around £290,000 (about $385,000) in fraudulent funds for consulting services. It was also found that this was in violation of the charity’s terms and conditions. She has been disqualified from being a trustee for nine years. Another trustee, Veronica Chow, was sentenced to four years in prison.
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Tim Hopkins, Deputy Director of Professional Investigations and Standards, said: “Trustees are legally required to make decisions in the best interests of the charity and to comply with their legal duties and responsibilities.” said. “Our investigation found that the charity’s administrators failed to do this and as a result we have taken steps to disqualify them.”
The charity was founded in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, but was dissolved and removed from the charity registry earlier this year. With an active website, the charity has presented fashion initiatives and projects in New York, London, Cannes, Moscow, Mumbai and Dar es Salaam, raising more than $15 million for good causes around the world. said.
The charity unites the fashion industry to alleviate poverty and promote health and education by making grants to other organizations and providing resources in response to global disasters. was established for the purpose of
The commission announced that approximately 344,000 pounds (approximately $460,000) had been recovered and a further 98,000 pounds of charity funds had been secured. These funds were used to donate to two other charities and settle outstanding debts.
Mr Hopkins, the regulator, said: “We are pleased that this investigation has confirmed donations to other charities that this charity has previously supported.”
L’Esprit reported from Paris.
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