Naomi Campbell has said she was “not in control” of her charity, following her disqualification from being a trustee for five years after a watchdog found charity funds were being mismanaged. An inquiry into Fashion for Relief , a charity which says it was founded by the supermodel in 2015, found serious mismanagement of funds. Misconduct included using charity money to pay for Campbell’s stay at a five-star hotel in Cannes, France , as well as spa treatments, room service and cigarettes.
The 54-year-old accepted a French award recognising significant contributions to the arts and literature on the same day she was disqualified as a charity trustee. “I just found out today about the findings, and I’m extremely concerned, and we are investigating on our side as I was not in control of my charity, I put the control in the hands of a lawyer,” Campbell told reporters after she was made a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters at the French Ministry for Culture. “And so we are investigating to find out what and how, as everything I do and every penny I ever raised goes towards charities.
” Campbell was one of three trustees to be disqualified as a result of the Charity Commission inquiry. Bianka Hellmich has been disqualified as a trustee for nine years, and Veronica Chou for four years. It means they are prevented from being a trustee or holding a senior management role in any charity in England and Wales during the length of the disqualification.
The Charity Comm.