Scottish regulator OSCR has stopped an Aberdeen charity from making payments overseas as part of an investigation into its shop’s activities, following allegations that the Zimbabwean orphanage it claims to support may not exist.
OSCR has frozen payments being made abroad by the Orphan Shop for the next six months after exercising its powers during its inquiry into the shop’s operations following a meeting with trustees, according to the Press and Journal newspaper.
The paper has spent two months investigating the charity, and reported that it sent over £270,000 to Zimbabwe but found “no evidence that the good causes are real” after speaking to founder and treasurer, Tina Buchan.
Following the paper’s investigation, OSCR revealed that it had opened an inquiry last June, after it received a complaint from a former shop worker.
OSCR representatives met the trustees of the charity in recent weeks and has now frozen payments being made abroad.
An OSCR spokesperson said: “OSCR’s inquiry is at a preliminary stage, and we have directed the charity in terms of section 28(3) of the 2005 Act not to undertake certain activities for a period of six months.
“These activities are concerned with stopping any payments that are intended for overseas beneficiaries.”
OSCR has not announced any formal findings or recommendations from its inquiry.
Buchan declined to comment when approached by Civil Society but has previously denied wrongdoing.
