- Naomi Campbell has won her appeal against a ban on being a charity trustee, after a tribunal ruled that she was unaware of misconduct at her charity Fashion for Relief.
- In 2024, Campbell was banned from being a charity trustee for five years after a watchdog found that Fashion for Relief funds had been spent on luxury hotels and spa treatments.
- The tribunal found that the most serious instances of misconduct in the charity "were concealed" from Campbell by a fellow trustee.
- The tribunal panel stated, "Ms Campbell was not involved in, and did not know of, that conduct," affirming her lack of knowledge regarding the misconduct.
- Following the tribunal's ruling, Campbell expressed gratitude, stating she could now focus on serving the communities she has always wanted to help.
- Naomi Campbell founded Fashion for Relief in 2005 to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
- The Charity Commission opened an investigation into Fashion for Relief in 2021 due to concerns over mismanagement.
- The charity was shut in 2023 and dissolved in 2024 following the inquiry.
Naomi Campbell has overturned a five-year ban on her role as a charity trustee after a tribunal determined she was unaware of serious misconduct at Fashion for Relief, the charity she founded in 2005 to aid disaster victims.1
The tribunal found that Campbell's fellow trustee, Bianka Hellmich, concealed significant financial mismanagement, including unauthorized payments and misuse of funds.7
The ruling stated, "Ms Campbell was not involved in, and did not know of, that conduct," affirming her honesty throughout the charity's operations.4
Campbell's appeal highlighted that Hellmich forged her signature and misdirected funds, leading to the tribunal's conclusion that Campbell's only mistake was trusting her co-trustee.
The tribunal noted, "There was serious misconduct and mismanagement in the administration of the charity she founded, Fashion for Relief," but ultimately ruled that Campbell was not responsible for the inappropriate use of charity resources.
The Charity Commission had previously found that Fashion for Relief failed to pass on a significant portion of the funds raised, leading to its dissolution in 2024.
The tribunal's decision allows Campbell to continue her philanthropic efforts, despite acknowledging some responsibility for administrative oversights.
The judges concluded, "The panel is satisfied that Ms Campbell was not responsible for the inappropriate use of the charity's resources or any unjustified expenditure, nor did she contribute or facilitate it."
“The tribunal found that Bianka Hellmich forged Campbell's signature and used a fake email address to misdirect funds, including unauthorised payments of more than £290,000. The Charity Commission said it will reflect on the decision and is considering wider implications for its work.”
BBC
The Guardian
