Naomi Campbell called unfit to run a charity in her appeal against ban | Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell has shown herself unfit to run a charity after the supermodel “completely abdicated” her responsibilities as a trustee of the now-defunct Fashion for Relief scheme, according to the charity watchdog.

The Charity Commission told the court that Campbell, who is trying to overturn a five-year ban on running a charity, was “deeply culpable” for the mismanagement and misuse of funds at his former charity Fashion for Relief, which he founded in 2015.

It said Campbell showed “the lack of competence that would be expected” of a trustee by handing over control of the charity to a fellow trustee and failing to engage properly even when it became clear there were problems.

Campbell’s lawyers rejected the commission’s allegations, arguing that the watchdog treated him as a “high-profile scalper”. They said he was a victim of fraud who had made an honest mistake and had not received any personal benefit from the charity.

Fashion for Relief, which raised millions of pounds for anti-poverty projects through a series of glitzy, high-profile fashion events hosted by Campbell, was put into liquidation in March 2024 after administrators sent in by the commission found it was insolvent.

The commission’s investigation report into Fashion for Relaxation, published six months later, highlighted chaotic financial management, abuse and chaotic record-keeping, including the failure to keep receipts or minutes of meetings and decisions.

On one occasion, the charity was charged thousands of pounds for Campbell’s use of luxury hotel rooms, flights, spa treatments and cigarettes. Although it raised £4.8 million over five years, partner charities including Save the Children and the Mayor’s Fund for London received just 10% of the proceeds.

Appealing against the disqualification decision, Campbell’s lawyers told the court he was the victim of an elaborate deception by fellow trustee Bianka Hellmich, who forged documents and emails and kept him in the dark about the charity’s finances.

Campbell had relied in good faith on Hellmich, then a trusted friend and advisor, to oversee financial and business matters, unaware of what the commission would later find as misuse of charity funds and mismanagement.

Campbell did not act dishonestly, lack integrity or seek any personal advantage, his barrister Andrew Westwood KC told the court on Thursday. He said it was a mistake to “mistrust” Hellmich but that he was honest and it was not in the public interest to disqualify someone who was the victim of a scam.

Westwood argued that Campbell, believing that he “had the necessary expertise, skill and common sense to manage the financial, legal and regulatory aspects of the charity”, delegated responsibilities to Hellmich, allowing Campbell to take on a token role.

But Faisel Sadiq, acting on behalf of the commission, said Campbell had failed in his duty as trustee to proactively oversee the charity’s affairs. “That’s it [Campbell] “Just because he’s busy and lives in America doesn’t mean he should be treated differently,” he said.

Sadiq told the court that Campbell, who gave evidence on Tuesday, was a “totally unreliable witness” and while he was not “actively dishonest” he “said a lot of things that were not true” in his evidence. He focused on “controlling the media narrative” rather than “honesty and accuracy”.

Sadiq said Campbell showed no remorse or insight into his failures. “His goal was to blame others,” he said. He was unfit to be a trustee of a charity and remained so.

Westwood rejected Sadiq’s “exaggerated claims” about Campbell’s behaviour. The commission’s investigation was flawed but Campbell said the commission “had a high-profile scalp” and was “determined to stick to it at all costs”.

The commission investigation found Hellmich received £316,000 from the charity in unauthorized fees and travel costs over a two-year period. He has since repaid the amount. Hellmich has been approached for comment. He previously told the Guardian that Campbell’s claims had “absolutely no truth”.

The court heard allegations of forgery and fraud made against Hellmich were referred to police by Campbell’s team and the commission.

Hellmich and third trustee Veronica Chou were banned by the commission from holding charity trustee positions for nine and four years respectively. Neither of them objected to the disqualification decision.

The trial continues.