The Charity Commission is reviewing a letter from EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou, which urges the regulator to take action over fundraising platform Easyfundraising.
Haji-Ioannou’s company EasyGroup is preparing legal action against Easyfundraising over its use of the prefix “easy” in its name, after taking similar steps with other organisations, with a High Court hearing planned for June.
In his letter to the Commission chief executive Helen Stephenson last week, Haji-Ioannou alleged that the platform’s owners and CEO “have engaged in the past in activities of significant concern from a charity law and regulatory perspective”.
However, his letter states that Easyfundraising “is not itself a charity, and therefore might seem to sit outside the Charity Commission’s jurisdiction”.
A Commission spokesperson said: “We can confirm we have received a letter raising concerns about a fundraising platform called Easyfundraising.
“We are currently reviewing the information available to us to determine if there is a role for the Commission.”
Easyfundraising: ‘We look forward to our day in court’
Easyfundraising CEO James Moir said that while the platform is subject to charity law under the Charities Act 1995 as a professional fundraiser, it has never claimed to be a charity itself.
“An important part of adhering to the Charities Act is openness and transparency,” he said.
“We have nothing to hide and are more than happy to supply any additional information should the Charity Commission require it.
“For many years our annual accounts have been fully audited by an independent management accountancy firm, confirming that our financial practices are sound, the payment of monies to our good causes is a key part of this.”
Moir added that the platform was “looking forward to our day in court this summer”.
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