The hidden life of Camila Batmanghelidjh: why was her exoneration so widely ignored?
That she was cleared of criminal charges doesn’t alter the fact that the collapse of this charity exposed all that is wrong with the charity sector and the willingness of government to piss our money away on these outfits without a hint of due diligence. That’s why.
It’s not just this charity that is at fault here – no charity should be in receipt of our money via taxation. Not one penny. Charity should be just that – voluntary donations. If a charity cannot survive on voluntary donations, then it fails and so be it.
She was exonerated because it was expedient for TPTB in at least 2 ways:
1, Her’s was not the only palm greased in this ridiculous fraud.
2, It avoided the inevitable rioting on London housing estates should she have been convicted.
Apart from small local charities, when faced with a chugger I respond politely with “I have already given”.
So the response to Chuggers and the like should be “I gave at the Tax Office”.
Nevertheless, hang ’em all.