Supermodel Naomi Campbell has been prohibited from participating in charity activities for five years by the UK Charity Commission, following revelations that she spent significant amounts of charity funds on personal expenses. Campbell, a prominent figure in the fashion industry, has been suspended from any charitable involvement in England and Wales for the next five years due to financial mismanagement within Fashion for Relief, a charity she co-founded in 2005. A report dated September 26 from the Charity Commission for England and Wales uncovered “multiple instances of misconduct and/or mismanagement” not only by Campbell but also by her fellow trustees, Bianka Hellmich and Veronica Chou, who have been barred from charity work for nine and four years respectively.
The investigation revealed that “between April 2016 and July 2022, only 8.5 percent of the charity’s total spending was on charitable grants.” Notably, in May 2018, the trustees spent €14,800 (approximately $19,800) on a flight from London to Nice for a fundraising event. During this trip, Campbell reportedly used the charity’s funds for a €9,400 (around $12,500) hotel stay, and spent an additional €7,939.75 (about $10,700) on spa treatments, room service, cigarettes, and other hotel products.
The trustees argued that these expenses were a “cost-effective choice” and claimed a donor typically covered hotel costs for the charity. However, the inquiry found no evidence supporting these claims or related credits in the charity’s financial records. The Charity Commission noted that Fashion for Relief aimed to alleviate poverty and advance health and education through grants and direct resources to those in need, but had been deregistered as a charity on March 15.
The inquiry also highlighted “unauthorized payments totaling £290,000 for consultancy services” made to trustee Bianka Hellmich, which violated the charity’s constitution. It was mentioned that Hellmich had offered to repay these funds, amounting to roughly $388,000.
Campbell expressed her deep concern over the findings, stating to the Associated Press that she was not in control of the charity’s operations and had entrusted legal management to others. She emphasized that her efforts and funds raised were always intended for charitable purposes. E! News attempted to reach representatives for Campbell, Hellmich, and Chou for comments but received no responses.