Naomi Campbell wins tribunal appeal against five-year charity trustee ban
A First Tier Tribunal overturned the five-year trustee disqualification imposed on Naomi Campbell in 2024, finding she was deceived by co-trustee Bianka Hellmich, though it also found serious mismanagement at Fashion for Relief.
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The story, neutrally told
Naomi Campbell has won her challenge to a five-year ban on serving as a charity trustee, after a tribunal ruled in her favour on Thursday 1 October. Evening StandardN “Naomi Campbell has won a legal challenge to overturn a five-year ban on being a charity trustee.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ GB NewsR “Naomi Campbell has successfully overturned the five-year ban preventing her from serving as a charity trustee” Read at GB News ↗ The Charity Commission disqualified the 56-year-old in 2024 after finding serious mismanagement of funds at Fashion for Relief, the charity she founded. Evening StandardN “the Charity Commission – which regulates charities in England and Wales – found serious mismanagement of funds at Fashion For Relief, which she founded.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ The Evening Standard reports the findings included charity money being used for her stay at a five-star hotel in Cannes, spa treatments, room service and cigarettes. Evening StandardN “This included using charity funds to pay for her stay at a five-star hotel in Cannes, France, as well as spa treatments, room service and cigarettes.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
The three-person First Tier Tribunal found she had been "deceived" by fellow trustee Bianka Hellmich. Evening StandardN “the three-person tribunal ruled in the supermodel’s favour, finding she had been “deceived” by fellow trustee Bianka Hellmich.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ It said there was serious misconduct and mismanagement, but that the most serious features, including unauthorised payments to Hellmich and misuse of funds, resulted from Hellmich's conduct and were concealed from Campbell. Evening StandardN “its most serious features, including unauthorised payments to Ms Campbell’s co-trustee, Bianka Hellmich, failures in the management of the charity’s finances and the misuse of its funds, resulted from Ms Hellmich’s conduct and were concealed from Ms Campbell.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ At the hearing Campbell said she was a victim of fraud, alleging Hellmich forged her signature and impersonated her by email; Hellmich denies this, telling the Guardian there is "absolutely no truth" to the claims. GB NewsR “alleging that her co-trustee had forged her signature, created a fake email address to impersonate her in communications with lawyers”“Ms Hellmich has denied all allegations, telling the Guardian there is "absolutely no truth" to Ms Campbell's claims.” Read at GB News ↗
The Commission's barrister, Faisel Sadiq, argued Campbell had "completely abdicated" her duties; her barrister, Andrew Westwood KC, said she acted in good faith and the Commission wanted a "high-profile scalp". GB NewsR “Ms Campbell had "completely abdicated" her trustee duties by delegating oversight to Ms Hellmich without any supervision”“"determined to hold on to that scalp at whatever cost."” Read at GB News ↗ GB News reports Hellmich received a nine-year ban and Veronica Chou four years, and neither appealed; the charity raised £4.8m, was found insolvent and was wound up in 2024. GB NewsR “Bianka Hellmich received a nine-year ban, while Veronica Chou was barred for four years. Neither appealed against their disqualification.”“Fashion for Relief was found to be insolvent after managers appointed by the Commission took control” Read at GB News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Short breaking-news report leading on the tribunal's ruling and its finding that Campbell was deceived by a co-trustee.
- Emphasis
- The tribunal's own wording and the original findings about hotel, spa and cigarette spending.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not include the hearing arguments, the other trustees' bans or the charity's financial figures.
- For example
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“Tribunal rules Naomi Campbell was ‘deceived’ by fellow Fashion For Relief trustee” — Evening Standard
“Breaking news. This article is being updated.” — Evening Standard
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Longer account presenting the ruling as a legal victory, with extensive background on the charity's finances and the hearing's courtroom exchanges.
- Emphasis
- The charity's poor record (10 percent of proceeds to partners, 8.5 percent of spending on grants), the Commission's criticism of Campbell and the allegations against Hellmich.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not quote the tribunal's reasoning or its finding of serious misconduct and mismanagement.
- Charged language
- “high-profile scalp”“fiercely contested”“chaotic financial management”
What every side reports
- Campbell's five-year trustee ban, imposed by the Charity Commission in 2024, was overturned by a tribunal.
- The ban followed an inquiry into Fashion for Relief, which found serious mismanagement and misuse of funds.
- The tribunal found Campbell was deceived by co-trustee Bianka Hellmich.
Where accounts differ
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Who was responsible for the charity's failings
- Centre
- Reports the tribunal's finding that the most serious failings stemmed from Hellmich's conduct and were concealed from Campbell, while noting serious mismanagement occurred.
- Right
- Sets out Campbell's account that Hellmich forged her signature, and the Commission's argument that Campbell abdicated her duties; notes Hellmich's denial.
Naomi Campbell person
Says she was a victim of fraud and trusted the wrong person; the tribunal accepted she was deceived.
“"I trusted the wrong person, what more do you want?" Ms Campbell told the tribunal” — GB News
Charity Commission organisation
Argued at the hearing that Campbell abdicated her trustee duties and was highly culpable.
“rendering her "highly culpable" for the charity's failings.” — GB News
Fashion for Relief organisation
The charity, found insolvent, was wound up and removed from the register in 2024.
“it was subsequently wound up and removed from the register of charities in 2024.” — GB News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Naomi Campbell wins legal fight to overturn five-year ban on being a charity trustee
Neutral Concise breaking report built around the tribunal's judgment and quotations.
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Right1 article
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GB NewsR ·
Supermodel Naomi Campbell wins legal challenge against five-year charity trustee ban
Mixed Reports the win as a significant victory while foregrounding the charity's failings and the Commission's criticisms.
- 1 Oct 11:01 First Evening StandardN Naomi Campbell wins legal fight to overturn five-year ban on being a charity trustee
- 1 Oct 11:07 +6m GB NewsR Supermodel Naomi Campbell wins legal challenge against five-year charity trustee ban
- 1 Oct 11:15 +15m Evening StandardN Naomi Campbell wins legal challenge over charity trustee ban
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.