皇冠体育app

An inquiry report published today (21 February 2019) has found that the trustees of (SNW) are responsible for a series of failings at their charity amounting to serious misconduct and/or mismanagement. 皇冠体育app Commission has removed one trustee and has disqualified another as a result.

皇冠体育app inquiry was prompted by proactive engagement by the Commission in 2015 to identify how the trustees of SNW were complying with their legal obligations given the charity was operating in high risk areas internationally. 皇冠体育app charity鈥檚 objects were the relief of poverty and financial need, in particular for those affected by natural or other disasters overseas.

皇冠体育app Commission also identified that one of the charity鈥檚 trustees had been a trustee of another charity, Worldwide Ummah Aid (WUA), which is subject to an ongoing statutory inquiry.

However, in July 2016, the Commission was informed by Bedfordshire Police that a trustee of the charity had been stopped at Luton airport with 拢3,260, which was seized by the police under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. 皇冠体育app Commission obtained further information about the charity鈥檚 finances and as a result of concerns opened an inquiry.

In order to protect SNW鈥檚 funds, the Commission made an order to restrict transactions and payments made by SNW鈥檚 trustees. 皇冠体育app order prohibited certain cash collections and the withdrawal of charitable funds in cash from the SNW鈥檚 bank accounts.

皇冠体育app inquiry found that there was misconduct and/or mismanagement by all of the trustees in relation to the administration and management of SNW and that the charity鈥檚 property was placed at risk by the trustees who:

• failed to comply with the Commission鈥檚 Action Plan in June 2016
• failed to comply with a legal direction to supply information to the Commission
• placed the charity鈥檚 funds at risk and subsequently lost them as a result of the removed trustee鈥檚 conduct
• were not sufficiently aware of the activities of the charity (on the part of SNW鈥檚 two other trustees) and thereby enabled the removed trustee鈥檚 misconduct and/or mismanagement
• could not fully account for the charity鈥檚 funds in accordance with charity law

SNW has now been dissolved by the Commission and ceased to exist when it was removed from the Register of Charities on 15 February 2019.

Michelle Russell, Director of Investigations, Monitoring and Enforcement said:

皇冠体育app public rightly expects trustees to respect the trust afforded to them as custodians of their charity, as well as the privileged legal status charities enjoy.

Our inquiry found that the trustees of Save the Needy Worldwide were responsible for a series of failings at their charity amounting to serious misconduct and mismanagement. It鈥檚 therefore right that robust regulatory actions have been taken against those responsible. 皇冠体育app charity has also been dissolved as a result of our action.

皇冠体育app Commission strongly advises charities against the use of cash couriering as a method to transfer charitable cash due to the risks involved. 皇冠体育app effects of a cash seizure include the charities鈥� beneficiaries losing out, an impact on the charities鈥� activities and the loss of donor money - including the permanent loss of funds. In this case these risks materialised and there was a loss to the charity.

皇冠体育app full report of the inquiry is available on GOV.UK.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. SNW was a charitable incorporated organisation and was dissolved by the Commission in accordance with the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (Insolvency and Dissolutions) Regulations 2012.

2. 皇冠体育app , was challenged at the Tribunal; the appeal was dismissed.