Press release

Twelve new inquiry reports published

Commission publishes inquiry reports into 12 charities under investigation for double defaulting on their annual accounts and returns.

• From: The Charity Commission
• Published: 4 August 2014

This news article was withdrawn on 2 November 2017

No longer current. The reports have now been published.

The Charity Commission has today published inquiry reports into 12 of the charities that were under investigation as a result of double defaulting on their annual accounts and returns.

The charities reported on today are:

• Chevras Machzikei Mesifta (1104022)

• Patanjali Yog Peeth (UK) Trust (1115370)

• The Hope Trust (Yorkshire) (1116059)

• The St Thomas Lupus Trust (1010523)

• Vyoel Moshe Charitable Trust (327054)

• The British School, Tehran (1092933)

• Bridgegate Drugs Advice Service (1086422)

• Beis Aharon Trust Ltd (1010420)

• Al-Hassan Education Centre (1078159)

• Belgrave Baheno Peepul Centre (1092389)

• Bfon Trust (1112466)

• Morris Cerullo World Evangelism (1001361)

The Commission concluded that the charities’ trustees were in default of their legal obligations to file accounting information with the Commission and this was mismanagement and misconduct in the administration of the charity and a breach of trustees’ legal duties.

Michelle Russell, Head of Investigations and Enforcement, said:

Some of the charities in the class inquiry have stopped giving excuses for defaulting on their accounts and we hope this means that our message is getting through - there is no valid reason for late accounts.

But we also hope that trustees have heard the message from the public that what drives their trust most is that charities ensure that a reasonable proportion of donations gets to the end cause - charity accounts are a key way for charities show how they have spent their money and to build trust in the charity.

20 charities currently remain in the class inquiry. The 12 inquiry reports published today can be viewed on the Commission’s website.

Ends

PR 68/14

For press enquiries contact the press office.

Notes to Editors

1. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales.
2. Our mission is to be the independent registrar and regulator of charities in England and Wales, acting in the public’s interest, to ensure that: * charities know what they have to do * the public know what charities do * charities are held to account
3. For information about statutory inquiries, please see Statutory inquiries into charities: guidance for charities and their advisers (CC46).
4. The first phase of the inquiry focussing on ‘double defaulting’ charities with a last known income of over £500,000 began on 20 September 2013, when the class inquiry opened. The Commission started the second phase on 11 November 2013, turning to charities with a last known income of between £250,000 and £500,000. Failure to submit annual documents when required to the Commission is a criminal offence and the Commission says that it amounts to mismanagement and/or misconduct in the administration of a charity.

Published 4 August 2014