The Charity Commission has entered a further 10 charities into its ongoing class inquiry examining whether dozens of organisations improperly exchanged charity cheques for cash through a Hackney-based company.
The statutory inquiry, launched in May 2025, follows an unannounced HMRC visit that uncovered that 105 charities had cashed cheques worth £22 million with the same company between December 2021 and March 2023.
Next 10 Charities Added to the Inquiry
The regulator has now extended the investigation to include:
- Ezer Viznitz Foundation
- Satmar Nursery Trust
- Lehachyos
- Dover Sholem Community Trust
- Friends of Yeshiva Daas Sholem Shotz
- Vyoel Moshe Charitable Trust
- The Z.S.V. Trust
- United Talmudical Associates Ltd
- Forty Limited
- Bnois Jerusalem Schools
These organisations joined the first 10 charities named when the inquiry opened.
Focus of the Investigation
Using its statutory powers, the Commission will examine:
- How funds were transferred and why cheques were exchanged for cash
- Trustee oversight of these transactions
- Whether the cash was used properly to further charitable purposes
- How trustees assessed whether the transactions were in the best interests of their charity
The regulator is also investigating potential conflicts of interest and failures in financial controls.
Immediate Regulatory Action
The Commission has issued an order temporarily banning all charities under inquiry from issuing cheques without its prior consent.
Inquiry May Widen Further
The regulator has stated that the scope of the inquiry may expand if additional concerns arise as investigations continue.
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