Supermodel Naomi Campbell is set to appeal her five-year ban from serving as a charity trustee, claiming she was impersonated through a fake email account that gave a false impression of her involvement in the management of Fashion for Relief.
The 54-year-old model was banned in September 2024 after a UK Charity Commission inquiry uncovered mismanagement of funds at Fashion for Relief, the charity she founded.
The watchdog’s findings revealed that funds meant for charitable causes had been spent on luxury hotels, spa treatments, cigarettes, and security services.
Campbell’s representatives argue that documents submitted during the inquiry created a misleading impression of her role in the charity.
They claim there is evidence of a fake email account used to impersonate Campbell in communications with lawyers, which prevented her from being aware of the allegations and left her without the chance to respond.
The Charity Commission’s investigation, which examined the charity’s expenses from April 2016 to July 2022, found that only 8.5% of the funds raised were used for grants to charitable causes.
The probe ultimately led to the dissolution of Fashion for Relief in March 2024.
Campbell, along with two other trustees, Bianka Hellmich and Veronica Chou, was disqualified as a result of the findings. Hellmich received a nine-year ban, while Chou was banned for four years.
In a statement on Wednesday, Campbell expressed her determination to seek justice, saying:
“I want to shine a light on how easy it is to fake identities online and prevent anybody else from going through what I have been through.
I want to ensure that those responsible are held accountable and justice is done.”
Campbell also stated she has been working to uncover the truth since the commission’s report and described the findings so far as “shocking.”
Her case will be heard at a tribunal on Friday, February 7, 2025. Campbell remains committed to clearing her name and holding those she believes are responsible accountable for the situation.
Despite the controversy, Fashion for Relief had initially been established with the noble aim of uniting the fashion industry to fight poverty, improve health, and support education through grants and resources for global disaster relief.
The inquiry confirmed that £344,000 had been recovered, with an additional £98,000 in charitable funds secured.
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