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The Born Free organization, of which Shabana Rehman is the CEO, is losing state support due to poor financial management.
This is stated by the Ministry of Education and Research in a press release on Monday.
This occurs after an investigation carried out by the consulting firm Ernst and Young on behalf of the Integration and Diversity Directorate (IMDi).
Beforehand, the newspaper Vårt Land had written several cases about warnings against Født Fri, which, among other things, came from former employees of the foundation.
See Jan Sverre Asker’s board chairman response to the report at the end of the case.
– Very serious
– The report shows that publicly allocated funds have not been used in line with the purpose, and this is very serious, says the secretary of state with responsibility for integration in the Ministry of Education, Grunde Almeland (V).
According to the investigation report, it is possible that the money was used for private purposes, where both spa stays, trips to London and the use of credit cards are among the things that are presented.
Regarding the stay at the spa, the report notes, among other things:
“The reason for the stay may seem private. Furthermore, the level of costs exceeds what can be considered reasonable for commercial purposes.”
Additionally, financial mismanagement reveals that grants have not been used in accordance with the grant scheme guidelines and that all money has not been spent.
Recommend review
Ernst and Young recommends that IMDi consider reporting the circumstances revealed in the report to the police, in order to obtain an assessment of whether there may have been a violation of the Penal Code or other legislation.
– Based on the findings of the Ernst and Young report, our assessment is that the conditions for the grant have not been met, as they appear in our grant letters. IMDi considers that it is sufficiently substantiated that the financial management of the foundation is not good and that parts of the grants are considered not to have been used in accordance with the purpose of the grant scheme, says IMDi Director Libe Rieber Mohn.
Born Free has worked since 2017 to counter negative social control and gender equality. Since then, the foundation has received just over NOK 15 million in grants from the state budget and IMDi.
In August, the latter received a notification about Born Free, notifying that the grants had not been used in accordance with the purpose of the foundation.
– Contains various errors
In a press release sent to Dagbladet, the chairman of the Født Fri board has the following to say about the report:
– We consider that the investigation is very unsatisfactory. The report contains various errors and inaccuracies.
– Today, through VG, we have been informed that an investigative report on our business has been completed.
– With reference to the report, IMDi has withheld our support and also announces other measures. We find the investigation very unsatisfactory. Interviews with key personnel, in which audio recordings were made, are not adequately referenced in writing and significant evidence is omitted. The report contains a number of errors and inaccuracies, something that we have continuously pointed out, most recently by letter from a lawyer on Friday 09/18/21. to EY.
– The investigation has been ongoing for a very few days and we were given deadlines to comment and present evidence that it was not physically possible to comply with. A critical reading of the factual description of the report does not provide a basis for criminal offenses or for the basis lacking financial control.
– There will always be room for discretion in the use of society funds, and Født Fri will discuss this, as well as some routines, but the report does not prove that there is a basis for reactions of any kind against Født Fri.
– It is serious that the important integration work carried out by Født Fri is destroyed on such a weak basis. We will initially raise the matter with the ministry.
