Supermodel Naomi Campbell has been banned from serving as a trustee for any charity following an inquiry into the misuse of funds at her charity, Fashion for Relief. The Charity Commission found that instead of directing donations to their intended causes, funds were spent on luxury hotels, spa treatments, cigarettes, and security for Campbell and other trustees.

The inquiry revealed that only 8.5% of the money raised by Fashion for Relief went to charitable grants, far below expectations. Furthermore, £290,000 of unauthorised payments were made to trustee Bianka Hellmich for consultancy services, which breached the charity’s guidelines. Hellmich has since proposed repaying the funds, and nearly £345,000 has been recovered.

Campbell expressed her concern about the findings, stating she wasn’t the one in control of the charity. Alongside Campbell, trustees Bianka Hellmich and Veronica Chou have also been banned from charity work, with bans lasting nine years and four years respectively.

The funds recovered from the charity will be redirected to two other causes: Save the Children Fund and the Mayor’s Fund for London. Fashion for Relief was officially removed from the UK charity register in March 2024.

This case serves as a reminder of the legal obligations of charity trustees to ensure funds are used responsibly and transparently.

Stay tuned for further developments on how this may affect Campbell’s future charitable endeavors.