LONDON – British supermodel Naomi Campbell appeared in a London court Tuesday, giving evidence in a bid to overturn an official decision to ban her from being a charity trustee in England and Wales.
The U.K.'s charity regulator in 2024 disqualified Campbell, 56, as a charity trustee for five years after finding serious financial mismanagement of “Fashion for Relief,” a charity she founded.
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The Charity Commission said at the time that thousands of pounds worth of the charity's funds were used to pay for a luxury hotel stay in Cannes, France, for Campbell as well as spa treatments, room service and even cigarettes.
Only 8.5% of the charity’s overall expenditure went to charitable grants in a six-year period from 2016, the regulator said.
Campbell launched an appeal against her ban last year, claiming she was a “victim of fraud and forgery.” In a written statement before giving evidence Tuesday, the model said she has “never undertaken philanthropic work for personal gain, nor will I ever do so.”
“My investigation has revealed identity fraud and deception and helps uncover why most of the funds weren’t used as intended,” she said. “What my legal team has unearthed is shocking, involving fake email addresses and forged communications with the authorities.”
The commission also found fellow trustee Bianka Hellmich received around 290,000 pounds ($385,000) of unauthorized funds for consultancy services. She has been disqualified as a trustee for nine years. A third trustee, Veronica Chou, was barred for four years.
Fashion for Relief was registered in 2015 with the aim of uniting the fashion industry to relieve poverty and help those affected by natural or other disasters around the world. The organization was dissolved and removed from the register of charities in 2024.