A Christian charity has had its accounts frozen over concerns that it “seriously understated” its income and may have made unauthorised trustee payments.
The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into the Gorgias Charitable Trust, registered in 2018, after raising “serious concerns” over financial information provided.
It has frozen the charity’s accounts and will now investigate whether the trustees have complied with their legal governance duties.
The southwest London-based charity, whose general purposes are to advance the Christian religion and promote healthcare, declared it had no income the year after registering.
Gorgias Charitable Trust’s accounts for year to 31 December 2020 are more than 1,600 days overdue with all subsequent reporting years also not filed.
“The charity appears to have been operating and has seriously understated its income,” the commission stated.
“Since [registering], it has failed to file any accounting information with the commission, which constitutes misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration of the charity.”
The inquiry will examine trustees’ compliance with their accounting and reporting, financial management and whether there has been any unauthorised private benefit to trustees or connected parties.
If further regulatory issues emerge, the scope of the inquiry may be extended.
Three trustees are listed on the charity’s entry on the commission’s website, all of whom were appointed in 2018.
Gorgias Charitable Trust – which operates in England, Wales and Scotland – did not respond to requests for comment.
