Supermodel Naomi Campbell has won her appeal against a five-year ban from serving as a charity trustee. A London tribunal ruled that serious financial misconduct occurred at Fashion for Relief. However, the tribunal found that the misuse of funds had been concealed from Campbell.
Campbell founded Fashion for Relief in 2005 to raise money for humanitarian causes through fashion events. The Charity Commission removed the organisation from its register in 2024 after finding serious financial mismanagement.
Charity Funds Were Misused
The Charity Commission found that money raised for charitable causes had been spent on personal expenses. These included spa treatments, cigarettes and room service during Campbell’s stay at a five-star hotel near Cannes in 2018.
A lawyer acting as a trustee also received around £290,000 in unauthorised payments described as consultancy fees.
Campbell said she had no knowledge that charity money covered her expenses. She also said another trustee deceived her about the unauthorised payments.
Tribunal Overturns Trustee Ban
The First-Tier Tribunal confirmed there had been “serious misconduct and mismanagement” at Fashion for Relief. However, judges ruled that Campbell was not responsible for the inappropriate use of the charity’s resources or unjustified spending during her hotel stay.
The tribunal said Campbell remained responsible for failures involving meeting minutes and late accounts. Nevertheless, it concluded those failures did not make her unfit to serve as a trustee.
Campbell welcomed the decision, saying she was grateful that the tribunal had considered her evidence.
Meanwhile, the Charity Commission said it was assessing whether the ruling could affect its wider regulatory work.
The commission added that its interventions helped recover almost £250,000 for other charities.
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