Naomi Campbell broke down in tears as she defended herself against allegations of financial misconduct within her charity, ‘Fashion For Relief’, insisting that she “was not in control” of its operations after being banned as a trustee.
According to a Daily Mail report, the 54-year-old supermodel addressed reporters in Paris, speaking publicly for the first time since the Charity Commission launched an investigation into her organization’s spending.
The inquiry revealed questionable financial practices, including a £12,000 flight to Nice in France to transport art and jewelry and £7,800 spent on a luxurious hotel stay.
“I was extremely concerned, but I was not in control of my charity,” Campbell said ahead of receiving France’s highest cultural honor, the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. The supermodel also emphasized that she had delegated control of the charity to legal advisers, and played no part in its current situation. “We are investigating to find out what happened, as every penny I ever raise goes toward charities.”
The Charity Commission’s inquiry, which was published on September 12, then disqualified Campbell from acting as a trustee for five years.
The report also detailed that from April 2016 to July 2022, just 8.5% of the charity’s spending actually went into charitable grants.
Investigators found evidence of mismanagement by trustees, including a £12,300 flight to Nice in 2018 and unauthorized payments which amassed to £290,000 to a trustee for consultancy services.
Campbell claimed she only became aware of her disqualification that same day, insisting she placed its management in the hands of the legal professionals. “I was not in control of my charity,” she reiterated.
The investigation also uncovered £7,800 in expenses for a three-night stay at a five-star hotel in Cannes, during which Campbell allegedly spent £6,000 on spa treatments, room service, and cigarettes. The commission announced that it had recovered £344,000 of charitable funds, which were redirected to other organizations.
Campbell founded ‘Fashion For Relief’ in 2005, inspired by a conversation her friend Nelson Mandela to use her platform for philanthropy.
The charity claimed to have raised more than £11 million, primarily through high-profile fundraising events around the world. However, concerns were raised when a complaint was lodged by the Mayor’s Fund for London, which alleged the charity owed £50,000 back in 2021.
The inquiry found the trustees failed to demonstrate cost-effective use of charity funds and also did not adequately manage partnerships.
Both of Campbell’s co-trustees, lawyer Bianka Hellmich and textile heiress Veronica Chou, were also disqualified from serving as trustees for up to four years and nine years respectively.
Tim Hopkins, the deputy director of specialist investigations at the Charity Commission, also revealed that the inquiry uncovered many serious failures in governance. “Trustees are legally required to act in their charity’s best interests, and in this case, they failed to do so,” Hopkins said, praising the recovery of £344,000 in charitable funds and the protection of an additional £98,000.
Campbell, who appeared to be visibly emotional on Thursday, accepted her cultural honor in Paris while maintaining her commitment to charity work, despite the findings. “Anything I do, every penny I raise, goes toward good causes,” she said.
