Campbell says she was 'deceived' in charity ban appeal

British supermodel Naomi Campbell told a tribunal, "I'm here because I have been deceived", as she gave evidence in her appeal against a five-year ban from being a charity trustee.

Campbell was disqualified in 2024 after the Charity Commission, which regulates charities in England and Wales, found serious mismanagement of funds at Fashion For Relief, the charity she founded.

The watchdog said its investigation found that charity funds had been used to pay for Campbell’s stay at a five-star hotel in Cannes, France, as well as spa treatments, room service and cigarettes.

Campbell was one of three Fashion For Relief trustees to be disqualified following the investigation. Bianka Hellmich was disqualified for nine years, while Veronica Chou was disqualified for four years.

On Tuesday, Campbell gave evidence to a tribunal in central London as she seeks to overturn the ban.

The 56-year-old model told the tribunal that her "only mistake" was trusting Hellmich, who she alleges forged her signature and lied about her credentials as a charity lawyer.

The tribunal has previously heard claims from Campbell’s legal team that, from 2016 to 2021, Hellmich appeared to have been paid in excess of £500,000 from charity funds.

Campbell told the tribunal: "I did not do a check on Bianka. When I’m introduced to a lawyer, I assume they are acting within the law."

She rejected a suggestion that she should have checked, saying Hellmich "came across as a lawyer" and worked in "official positions".

"I don’t look at it as a failure, I look at it as me trusting someone that I knew, someone that was a lawyer," Campbell said.

Judge Joe Neville intervened during exchanges between Faisel Sadiq, for the Charity Commission, and Campbell as she was cross-examined.

Campbell said: "I’m here because I have been deceived, you are here because you have been deceived, so let’s both be respectful to each other."

After a number of interruptions from the supermodel, Mr Sadiq said: "It would be very helpful if you answer the questions I have asked."

Judge Neville later said: "Not everything Mr Sadiq says is a challenge."

"Yes but it comes across as a challenge," Campbell said.

The judge then criticised Mr Sadiq for being "unnecessarily challenging" two questions later.

Campbell told the tribunal that Fashion For Relief was set up in 2005 in the US and did not "have a problem" before it became a registered charity in the UK.

She said she "loved" the charity work and added "I’m already famous enough" when it was suggested that she might have been involved for "the PR".

In written submissions on behalf of Campbell, Andrew Westwood KC said: "Ms Hellmich held herself out as a lawyer with the expertise to handle the charity’s legal, regulatory and financial functions and advised

Ms Campbell that she could properly confine herself to a limited role assisting with the charity’s fundraising efforts and strategy, in effect, acting as a figurehead, while Ms Hellmich assumed responsibility for those regulatory and financial functions."

He later said: "Ms Hellmich carried out a long-term and consistent scheme of mismanagement and deception in relation to the running of the charity and she concealed the same from Ms Campbell and others."

In his written submissions, Mr Sadiq argued that "it was not legally open" to Campbell to "abdicate" her responsibilities as a trustee and simply act as a figurehead.

Pressed by Mr Sadiq on whether she should have done more due diligence, Campbell told the tribunal: "I trusted the wrong person, what more do you want?

"You trusted her too because you were in communication with her until we let you know that you were deceived."

As the morning evidence concluded, Campbell accused the commission of also failing to check Hellmich’s credentials.

"I’m one person, I don’t have a management team, the Charity Commission is a Government body, did you do your due diligence? No," Campbell said.

The tribunal has heard that the alleged forgery and fraud against Hellmich has been referred to police by Campbell’s team and by the Charity Commission.

The tribunal continues.

Source: Press Association