Supermodel Naomi Campbell has successfully appealed a five-year disqualification that prevented her from serving as a charity trustee, following a tribunal decision concluding she had no knowledge of financial wrongdoing within her organization, Fashion for Relief. Following the judgment, Campbell thanked the tribunal and the judges “for taking the time to hear my side, look at the evidence, and see the truth of what happened”.
The charity was originally shut down in 2023 after a regulatory inquiry by the Charity Commission uncovered serious mismanagement. Investigators found that funds raised for humanitarian causes were diverted to pay for luxury hotel stays and spa treatments, leading to bans for Campbell and two other trustees in 2024. According to they, Campbell did not know â¬4,386 (£3,750) of hotel charges from a trip to the south of France in 2018 – including â¬1,298 (£1,100) for dinner room service, â¬1,163 (£990) for spa treatments and â¬112 (£95) for cigarettes – had come out of the charity’s expenses. Nor did she contribute or facilitate it,” they said, the panel is satisfied that Ms Campbell was not responsible for the inappropriate use of the charity’s resources or any unjustified expenditure. When they did, Ms Campbell took reasonable steps in response, the Tribunal finds that she had no reasonable basis to suspect Ms Hellmich’s dishonesty before regulatory concerns emerged and. Has tried to contact Hellmich.
However, a three-person tribunal panel ruled that the most severe instances of misconduct had been deliberately concealed from Campbell by a fellow trustee, lawyer Bianka Hellmich. The panel explicitly stated that the model was completely uninvolved in and unaware of that behavior, noting that her evidence and conduct throughout the charity’s operations were entirely honest.
Established in 2005 to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina, Fashion for Relief expanded its fundraising efforts globally before its closure. During the proceedings, Campbell argued that her only error was placing trust in Hellmich, who she alleged forged her signature and used a counterfeit email address to redirect money intended for charitable purposes. And went on to front further campaigns for disasters and causes around the world, the supermodel set up Fashion for Relief to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. This is testament to the sort of behaviour I endured during this difficult and damaging relationship.
The tribunal found that documentary evidence corroborated Campbell’s claims of deception. While the model bore some responsibility for administrative failures such as missed filing deadlines and unkept meeting minutes, the panel determined these shortcomings did not justify disqualifying her as a trustee. Unauthorized consultancy payments exceeding 290,000 pounds were traced directly to Hellmich, who utilized forged documents to deceive both Campbell and professional advisers. Unauthorised payments of more than £290,000 were made to Hellmich for apparent consultancy fees, the inquiry found.
Reactions and Statements
- Model statement: “Giving back has been part of who I am, so having that questioned hurt deeply. Now I can get back to what matters most to me: being there for the people and communities I’ve always wanted to serve. Thank you to my higher power.”
- Hellmich response: In April 2025, Hellmich denied the allegations, describing the accusations as false claims designed to paint Campbell as a victim and scapegoat a friend.
- Charity Commission response: A spokesperson noted that the disqualification order was issued based on the evidence available at the time, acknowledging the court’s recognition that Campbell and regulators alike were victims of sophisticated deception. The matter was previously referred to the Metropolitan Police.
The regulatory body added that its past interventions successfully ensured that organizations including Save the Children recovered nearly 250,000 pounds in owed funds.
