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Captain Sir Tom Moore’s family formally investigated over charity management concerns
The Charity Commission had previously prevented Sir Tom’s daughter from earning a 6 figure salary as the foundation’s chief executive
The family of Captain Sir Tom Moore are to be formally investigated by watchdogs over concerns they personally profited from the charity set up in the late veteran’s name.
The Charity Commission initially opened a case into The Captain Tom Foundation in March 2021, where it began reviewing the set-up and management of the organisation.
There, the commission prevented Sir Tom’s daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore from being appointed as its chief executive on a £100,000-a-year salary.
It had also questioned an earlier attempt to appoint her on a £60,000, three-day-a-week role.
While Hannah resigned from the position, her husband Colin remains a trustee.
And now, this case has escalated into a full inquiry after fresh evidence emerged of potentially serious misconduct.
According to the Guardian, the inquiry will examine concerns that a private company operated by Captain Tom’s daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, and her husband, Colin, potentially profited by trademarking the ‘Captain Tom’ brand without objection from the foundation.
Concerns have also been raised about the trustees’ decision-making, how the charity was governed and the handling of potential conflicts of interest with companies connected to the Ingram-Moore family.
Helen Stephenson, the chief executive of the Charity Commission, said: “The late Captain Sir Tom Moore inspired the nation with his courage, tenacity and concern for others. It is vital that public trust in charity is protected, and that people continue to feel confident in supporting good causes.
“We do not take any decision to open an inquiry lightly, but in this case our concerns have mounted.
“We consider it in the public interest to examine them through a formal investigation, which gives us access to the full range of our protective and enforcement powers.”
In a statement released last night, the Ingram-Moores said they ‘welcomed the press release issued today by the Charity Commission, which has found no issues in the accounts of the Captain Tom Foundation, published in February 2022’.
The Captain Tom Foundation was registered in June 2020 following the war veteran’s fundraising efforts during the Covid pandemic, which saw him raise £38m for the NHS by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday.