Naomi Campbell blames lawyer for 'fraud and deception' at charity ban appeal

PA Media

Naomi Campbell has said that “identity fraud and deception” by a fellow trustee of her former charity was to blame for a serious misuse of funds.

Speaking at an appeal hearing to overturn a charity ban against her, Campbell alleged that co-trustee and lawyer, Bianka Hellmich, forged her signature and impersonated her using a fake email address to misdirect money that was intended for the charity, Fashion for Relief.

Her “only mistake” was trusting Hellmich, Campbell told the tribunal on Tuesday.

In 2024, Campbell was banned from running a charity for five years after a UK watchdog found widespread evidence of financial misconduct. She has always denied any wrongdoing.

Bianka Hellmich, who has previously told the Guardian there is “absolutely no truth to the allegations”, was banned for nine years and a third trustee, Veronica Chou, was disqualified for four years.

The watchdog found that hundreds of thousands of pounds that should have gone to the charity was instead used on luxury hotels, spa treatments, cigarettes and security for the supermodel.

In written submissions, Campbell’s lawyer, Andrew Westwood KC alleged that Hellmich “carried out a long-term and consistent scheme of mismanagement and deception in relation to the running of the charity” which she concealed from others.

Campbell, 56, also accused Hellmich of lying about her credentials as a charity lawyer, admitting that she did not do reference or credential checks because Hellmich “came across as a lawyer” and had worked in “official positions”.

“I trusted the wrong person, what more do you want?” Campbell told the court, when pressed as to whether she should have done more due diligence.

“You trusted her too,” she said, referring to The Charity Commission, “because you were in communication with her until we let you know that you were deceived.”

When it came to their various roles as trustees, Westwood said that Hellmich had advised Campbell that she could “confine herself to a limited role” within the charity, “in effect, acting as a figurehead – while Ms Hellmich assumed responsibility for those regulatory and financial functions.”

But in a written submission, the Charity Commission’s lawyer, Faisel Sadiq argued that Campbell could not “abdicate” her responsibilities as a trustee to simply be a figurehead.

The tribunal heard that both Campbell’s legal team and The Charity Commission have referred the forgery and fraud allegations to the police.

The Commission confirmed this to the BBC and clarified that no individual had been reported, but rather a report was made on allegations of fraud and providing false or misleading information to the Commission.

The BBC has tried to contact Hellmich for comment. It is unclear if she is still working as a lawyer.

David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

Fashion for Relief was set up with the aim to unite the fashion industry to relieve poverty and advance health and education, by making grants to other organisations and giving resources towards global disasters.

It was first launched in the US, Campbell said on Tuesday, and did not “have a problem” until it was registered as a charity in the UK. In March 2024, Fashion for Relief was dissolved and removed from the register of charities.

Campbell told the tribunal that she “loved” the charity work. “I’m already famous enough”, she said, when it was suggested that she did it “for PR”.

The Charity Commission, which regulates charities in England and Wales, started investigating Fashion for Relief in 2021. Examining its expenses between April 2016 and July 2022, the inquiry found that just 8.5% of funds raised were spent on grants to charity.

It has since emerged that Unicef UK had made a complaint against the charity, after Fashion for Relief wrongly claimed to be working with Unicef, and held a fundraising event for it – but no money was ever sent to the global children’s charity.