Charity investigation opened into Revelation Foundation
The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into Revelation Foundation, registered charity number 1100573.
The inquiry was opened on 8 September 2014.
The charity has objects to advance Christianity in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, and its activities include making and broadcasting Christian television programmes from Spain.
In March 2014 complaints were received from members of the public alleging the charity was being used for private advantage. A subsequent scrutiny of the charity’s accounts by the commission identified regulatory concerns which include potential significant loss of charitable funds, trustee benefits, conflicts of interest and connected party transactions. These concerns are primarily in relation to the production and broadcasting of television programmes from Spain as well as the trustees’ decisions to transfer significant charitable assets and funds from the UK to Spain.
The inquiry will examine:
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the charity’s structure including its relationship and transactions entered into with several commercial organisations and whether these are in the best interests of the charity
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transactions between the charity and its trustees, former trustees, individuals and companies connected to the trustees and former trustees since 2009
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the administration, governance and management of the charity by the trustees with specific regard to how conflicts of interest have been dealt with and managed
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the charity’s fundraising activities
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whether or not the trustees have complied with and fulfilled their duties and responsibilities under charity law
The purpose of an inquiry is to examine issues in detail and investigate and establish the facts so that the regulator can ascertain whether there has been misconduct or mismanagement; establish the extent of the risk to the charity’s property, beneficiaries or work; decide what action needs to be taken to resolve the serious concerns, if necessary using its legal powers to do so.
It is the commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were. Reports of previous inquiries by the commission are available on GOV.UK.
The charity’s details can be viewed on the commission’s online charity search tool.
Ends
PR 90/14
Notes to editors
- The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales.
- 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
- Section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Charity Commission the power to institute inquiries. The opening of an inquiry gives the commission access to a range of protective and remedial powers.
- The commission’s decision to announce the opening of a statutory inquiry is based on whether it is in the public interest to do so and with consideration of our objective to increase public trust and confidence in charities.
- The commission’s decision to open the inquiry has been challenged through its internal Decision Review process.
Read more information on the commission’s policy and factors taken into account when deciding to issue a press release.
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