Supermodel Naomi Campbell has successfully appealed a five-year ban from serving as a charity trustee after a London tribunal found that serious financial misconduct at her former charity, Fashion for Relief, had been concealed from her.
The First-tier Tribunal overturned the disqualification imposed by the Charity Commission in 2024, finding that Campbell was not responsible for the most serious misuse of the charity's funds. The ruling acknowledged that there had been significant misconduct and poor financial management at Fashion for Relief but concluded that key failures resulted from the actions of another trustee and were hidden from Campbell.
Tribunal Overturns Five-Year Charity Ban
Campbell founded Fashion for Relief in 2005 with the aim of raising money for humanitarian causes through high-profile fashion events and runway shows.
The charity was removed from the Charity Commission's register in 2024 following an investigation into its finances and governance. Campbell was subsequently disqualified from acting as a charity trustee for five years.
The investigation found a number of financial irregularities, including the use of charity money for expenses connected to Campbell's stay at a five-star hotel near Cannes, France, in May 2018.
According to the findings, charity funds were used for expenses including spa treatments, cigarettes and room service. The investigation also identified about £290,000 in unauthorised payments to a trustee, which were presented as consultancy fees.
Campbell challenged the ban, maintaining that she was unaware of the misuse of funds and had been deceived about the charity's financial affairs.
Tribunal Says Misuse of Funds Was Concealed
In its ruling, the tribunal accepted that there had been serious misconduct and mismanagement within Fashion for Relief. However, it distinguished Campbell's conduct from the actions that resulted in the unauthorised payments and misuse of charity resources.
The panel found that the most serious financial failings had been concealed from Campbell. It also ruled that she was not responsible for the inappropriate use of charity resources or unjustified expenditure during her 2018 hotel stay.
The tribunal's findings centred on fellow trustee Bianka Hellmich, who was previously disqualified from acting as a charity trustee for nine years. Another former trustee, Veronica Chou, received a four-year disqualification.
The tribunal found that Hellmich had used forged documents and deceived Campbell, as well as professional advisers and the Charity Commission. The ruling stated that Campbell had not been involved in, or aware of, the conduct that led to the most serious financial problems.
Campbell Still Criticised Over Charity Governance
While the tribunal overturned Campbell's disqualification, it did not find that her involvement with Fashion for Relief had been without shortcomings.
The panel said Campbell retained ultimate responsibility for certain governance failures, including the charity's failure to keep proper minutes and submit accounts on time.
However, the tribunal concluded that these failures did not make Campbell unfit to serve as a charity trustee and therefore did not justify maintaining the five-year ban.
The Charity Commission had opposed Campbell's appeal and argued that the original disqualification should remain. Following the tribunal's decision, the regulator said it would consider the judgement and its wider implications.
Fashion for Relief Charity Was Dissolved in 2024
Fashion for Relief was established by Campbell to use the fashion industry and celebrity events to raise money for charitable causes.
The organisation held prominent events and raised millions of pounds over the years. However, an investigation by the Charity Commission later identified problems with its governance, financial management and spending.
The charity was wound up and removed from the register in 2024 after the regulator's intervention. The investigation found that significant amounts of money had not been used as intended and highlighted shortcomings in the organisation's financial controls.
The Charity Commission has said its intervention resulted in almost £250,000 being redirected to other charities, including Save the Children.
Naomi Campbell Responds to Ruling
Following the tribunal decision, Campbell welcomed the outcome and thanked the judges for considering her evidence. She said she was grateful that the tribunal had taken the time to hear her side, examine the evidence and establish what had happened.
The ruling means Campbell is no longer subject to the five-year disqualification from serving as a charity trustee in England and Wales. The decision brings an end to her legal challenge over the Charity Commission's original action, although Fashion for Relief itself has already been dissolved.
The tribunal's ruling therefore separates Campbell's own responsibilities from the financial misconduct uncovered at the charity, while still acknowledging that she had ultimate responsibility for certain administrative and governance failures.
