Naomi Campbell arrived at a tribunal in London on Tuesday to appeal against a five-year ban from running charities, with the Charity Commission arguing she is unfit to manage a charitable organization. The supermodel, who founded Fashion for Relief in 2015, was accused of "completely abdicating" her responsibilities as a trustee, leading to mismanagement and misuse of funds.
Charity Commission's Allegations
The Charity Commission told the tribunal that Campbell was "highly culpable" for the failures at Fashion for Relief, which raised millions for anti-poverty projects through glamorous fashion events. The watchdog highlighted shambolic financial management, misconduct, and chaotic record-keeping, including a lack of receipts or minutes of meetings. In one instance, the charity paid thousands for Campbell's luxury hotel stays, flights, spa treatments, and cigarettes. Over five years, the charity raised £4.8 million but partner charities like Save the Children received only 10% of the proceeds.
Faisel Sadiq, representing the commission, said Campbell showed an "absence of the competence expected from a trustee" by delegating oversight to a fellow trustee and failing to engage even when problems arose. He described Campbell as an "entirely unreliable witness" who focused on "controlling the media narrative" rather than honesty and accuracy. "Her go-to was to blame others," Sadiq added, stating she remains unfit to be a charity trustee.
Campbell's Defense
Campbell's lawyers rejected the claims, arguing the commission treated her as a "high-profile scalp." Andrew Westwood KC said Campbell was a victim of fraud by fellow trustee Bianka Hellmich, who forged documents and emails and kept Campbell in the dark about finances. Campbell relied on Hellmich, a trusted friend and adviser, in good faith to manage financial matters and was unaware of any misuse of funds.
Westwood argued that Campbell did not act dishonestly or derive personal benefit and that her "misplaced reliance" on Hellmich was an honest mistake. He said it was not in the public interest to disqualify someone who was a fraud victim. However, the commission noted that Hellmich received £316,000 in unauthorized fees and travel expenses, which she has since repaid. Hellmich denied Campbell's claims, calling them "absolutely no truth."
Background and Tribunal Process
Fashion for Relief was wound up in March 2024 after the commission found it insolvent. The commission's inquiry report published six months later highlighted misconduct and poor governance. Hellmich and a third trustee, Veronica Chou, were banned for nine and four years respectively, with neither appealing. The forgery allegations against Hellmich have been referred to police by both Campbell's team and the commission.
The tribunal will deliberate before issuing a judgment, expected within three months.
