The Charity Commission, a United Kingdom-based government organization that oversees nonprofits, has launched a regulatory compliance case focusing on the Stay Free Foundation, an addiction relief organization. At the heart of the investigation is whether any aspect of the nonprofit facilitated alleged sexual and emotional abuse activities on the part of Russell Brand, the actor and comedian behind the Stay Free Foundation.
Detailed information about the Stay Free Foundation’s financials and management was not readily available. According to the Charity Commission’s website, “This charity has been recently registered – it does not need to update its information until 10 months after its first financial period ends.”
Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse by at least five women, according to published reports. Brand has issued a video statement saying that while he was “very, very promiscuous,” he “absolutely” refuted the allegations. “During that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual,” Brand said in his video.
“Serious concerns have been raised in the media regarding the Chair of Trustees of the Stay Free Foundation and as a result, we have opened a regulatory compliance case,” a Charity Commission spokesperson wrote in an email to The NonProfit Times. “We are engaging with the charity to seek assurances that it is effectively managing risks to its reputation and is able to fulfil its purposes in line with our guidance.”
A request for comment from Stay Free Foundation’s Help was not returned at deadline.
While the Charity Commission has made no finding of wrongdoing, leaders at several other organizations affiliated with Stay Free Foundation are distancing themselves from Brand. As of September 22, the Stay Free Foundation’s website touted its relationship with BAC & O’Connor Gateway Trust, a Staffordshire, U.K.-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation charity; Friendly House, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that offers women recovering from substance abuse a supportive environment; Trevi, a charity for women in recovery located in Devon, United Kingdom; and East London-based Treasures Foundation, which offers accommodations and support to women with histories of drug abuse.
Bac & O’Connor’s website currently features a statement on its homepage reading: “The focus of our services is and will always continue to be the client’s treatment and the services we offer. We have already made a statement … to say to we have severed all ties with Russell Brand. We will be making no further comment. Our team is actively engaged in the task of removing all mentions of Russell Brand from our website.”
On its website, Trevi posted a statement which read, in part: “We are deeply saddened and upset by the stories reported … regarding Russell Brand. … Russell became aware of our charity in 2022 after hearing about some of the incredible mothers we have helped to become drug-free over the years. He wanted to support our cause and raise money through his Stay Free Foundation. … Today’s media revelations have been difficult to process but our priority remains and continues to be the safety and well-being of all women and girls now and in the future. … We have ended our association with Russell Brand and the Stay Free Foundation.”
As of September 21, The Treasures Foundation did not include Brand or the Stay Free Foundation on the “Who we work with” page on its website and made no other mention of either anywhere else. Similarly, Friendly House did not mention either within its website or on its Facebook or Instagram feeds.
On September 22, the Treasures Foundation issued a statement on its Facebook page which read: “We are extremely saddened about the allegations surrounding Russell Brand presented by the Times newspaper and Channel 4’s Dispatches programme on the 16th of September 2023. … We are aware of the reports circulating which contains a quote from our organization. Whilst we did give a statement to the press, a lot of it has not been quoted verbatim, and some of the words have been taken out of context. … We are a charity that was founded on Christian principles and as an organization we are totally committed to advocating for the voices of women, which is something that we have been dedicated to wholeheartedly for over a decade. … As a result of the recent media investigation into Russell Brand, we have made the decision to no longer receive any support from Mr. Brand, and the Stay Free Foundation. … Moving forward, our focus remains on the women under our care.”
Friendly House had not responded for a request for comment at deadline.
