Among 8.5 Billion Won Raised, Only 700 Million Won Actually Used for Charity Activities
British supermodel Naomi Campbell has been banned from running a charity for five years after being found to have used charitable funds for personal purposes.
On the 26th (local time), according to British daily newspapers The Times and The Guardian, the UK Charity Commission revealed that Campbell misappropriated charitable funds raised through the charity she founded, 'Fashion for Relief.'
'Fashion for Relief' was established by Campbell in 2015 with the purpose of poverty alleviation and supporting disadvantaged youth, but due to poor management, it was effectively bankrupt and closed in March this year. The Commission began investigating Fashion for Relief in November 2021.
The Commission explained that Campbell used tens of thousands of pounds from the charity funds to cover personal expenses such as a 5-star hotel stay and spa costs related to a charity event held in Cannes, France, in 2018. In addition, the Commission pointed out that extensive illegal activities were confirmed at Fashion for Relief, including improper funding to directors. Furthermore, numerous violations were found in the charity’s financial management, with proper records not maintained and no formal staff employed.
The Commission stated that out of the ?4.8 million (approximately 8.5 billion KRW) raised by Fashion for Relief from 2016 to 2022, only ?389,000 (about 700 million KRW) was actually used for charitable activities. The Commission also reported that Bianca Helmig, a director of Fashion for Relief who improperly received ?290,000 (about 500 million KRW) in consulting fees from the charity funds and used ?26,000 annually (about 45 million KRW) for travel expenses over two years, was banned from managing charities for nine years. Another director, Veronica Chu, was banned from managing charities for four years.
The Commission announced that a newly appointed interim manager has recovered ?350,000 (about 600 million KRW) of the misappropriated funds and plans to donate them to 'Save the Children' and 'Fund for London.'
Meanwhile, born in 1970, Campbell was a supermodel icon dominating the global fashion scene in the 1990s. She was also the first black model to appear on the cover of the newsweekly Time magazine.
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