Captain Tom’s daughter says payment for charity gigs ‘a total lie’ before blaming ‘scammer’
16 August 2023, 08:29 | Updated: 16 August 2023, 08:32
Captain Tom Moore's daughter said the claim she was paid thousands of pounds for charity appearances linked to her father's charity was "a total lie" before swiftly saying she had meant to reply to a "scammer".
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Hannah Ingram-Moore helped judge awards ceremonies featuring the Captain Tom Foundation charity between 2021 and 2022.
Promotional clips suggested she was there on behalf of the charity but her fee was instead paid to Maytrix Group, a company she owned with her husband, according to the BBC.
As well as featuring the charity's name, the Virgin Media O2 Captain Tom Foundation Connector Awards also used the foundation's logo on its plaques.
Approached by the corporation, Ms Ingram-Moore, who was paid £85,000 as the interim chief executive of the charity at the time, said: "You are awful. It's a total lie."
She got back in touch six minutes later: "Apologies. That reply was for a scammer who has been creating havoc".
Tom and Caller John discuss Captain Tom charity donations.
A spokesperson for the charity trustees said: "The Captain Tom Foundation is aware of the commercial arrangements made by Hannah Ingram-Moore with Virgin Media O2 in respect of the 'Virgin Media Captain Tom Foundation Connector Awards'.
"This matter is subject of an ongoing internal investigation.
"The Charity Commission has been notified of the Foundation's review of this matter and the Foundation will share its findings once the investigation has concluded."
A Charity Commission spokesperson said: "Our inquiry into the Captain Tom Foundation remains ongoing.
"Its scope includes examining whether the trustees have adequately managed conflicts of interest, including with private companies connected to the Ingram-Moore family."
A Virgin Media spokesperson said: "We worked directly with the late Sir Captain Tom to recognise community groups and charities that went above and beyond during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"When payment was made, we were not aware of any concerns about Ms Ingram-Moore’s family companies or the Captain Tom Foundation that have since come to light after our campaign and relationship with Captain Tom finished."
The controversy comes after Ms Ingram-Moore was ordered to demolish her spa and pool complex after being accused of using the Second World War veteran's name to construct it at her family home.
While she and her husband used their names in the planning application, they used the charity's name in the statements they submitted over heritage, and design and access.
Captain Tom became a household name as he walked laps of the Bedfordshire home during the coronavirus lockdown and raised millions for NHS Charities Together.
He was later knighted but died after contracting coronavirus in early 2021.
