NAOMI CAMPBELL APPEALS FIVE-YEAR CHARITY TRUSTEE BAN

Naomi Campbell appeared at a tribunal hearing in central London on Tuesday to appeal a five-year ban on serving as a charity trustee. The Charity Commission disqualified Campbell in 2024 following an investigation into serious mismanagement of funds at Fashion For Relief, the charity she founded. During her evidence, Campbell stated she had been deceived and asked for respectful questioning from the tribunal panel.

The investigation found that charity funds were used to pay for Campbell's five-star hotel stay in Cannes, France, as well as spa treatments, cigarettes and room service. Campbell attributed the mismanagement to Bianka Hellmich, a fellow trustee whom she alleged forged her signature and misrepresented her credentials as a charity lawyer. Hellmich was disqualified for nine years, whilst Veronica Chou, another trustee, received a four-year ban. Campbell's legal team previously submitted claims that Hellmich received over £500,000 from charity funds between 2016 and 2021.

During cross-examination by Faisel Sadiq of the Charity Commission, Campbell maintained that she did not conduct background checks on Hellmich, believing her to be a legitimate lawyer working in official positions. Judge Joe Neville intervened at several points during the exchanges, at one stage noting that Sadiq had been unnecessarily challenging in his line of questioning. The tribunal will determine whether Campbell's appeal against the disqualification succeeds.