Allegations of financial negligence and a toxic work environment has rocked the England-based, anti-persecution charity, Barnabas Aid, prompting the suspension of four leaders, including founder Patrick Sookhdeo.
According to Premiere Christian News, Barnabas Aid’s trustees have suspended Patrick Sookhdeo and his wife, Rosemarie, until an independent investigation can be completed. Also suspended are Trustees Caroline Kerslake and Prasad Phillips.
“Sadly, we have identified examples of serious and repeated contraventions of internal policies; policies that were established to ensure the proper distribution of charitable donations,” Barnabas Aid said in a statement to Premiere.
The statement added that the Sookhdeos, Kerslake, and Phillips—referred to as “the founders”—“created a toxic work environment which resulted in staff feeling entirely unable to routinely voice concerns. “In addition, we have also identified significant payments made to the founders (and to others close to them – including some Board Members/Trustees) which cannot be readily explained . . .
“We have let our supporters down, we have let the Lord down and we have let the suffering and persecuted Church down.”
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Barnabas Aid is an international aid agency that aims to support Christian communities, churches, and individuals around the world who face persecution and discrimination because of their faith. Though headquartered in England, one arm of the charity is based in Lancaster, Penn.
According to Charity Commission for England and Wales, the charity is two months overdue in reporting its financials. The charity reported its total income is £21,613,949 and total expenditures were £19,987,787.
Barnabas Aid (USA) has a four-star financial efficiency rating, according to the watchdog group, Ministry Watch.
However, its founder, Sookhdeo, was convicted in 2015 of a sexual assault and two counts of intimidating a witness, according to Christianity Today. He was fined and given a three month, 16-hour curfew.
The charity has hired Crowel & Moring UK LLP, a London-based law firm, to conduct an independent investigation into the charity’s financial records and allegations of a toxic work culture.
According to the law firm’s website, Crowel & Moring supports leading individuals and companies and advises on a range of matters, including dispute resolution, finance, and restructuring and insolvency.
According to a statement to its supporters, which was obtained by MinistryWatch, the issues at Barnabas Aid were first reported by whistleblowers in early 2024. Thos allegations …
“In the first part of 2024, a series of whistle-blowing allegations were made against senior figures at Barnabas Aid: namely, Patrick Sookhdeo (International Director), Caroline Kerslake (International Director of Projects), Prasad Phillips (Deputy International Director) and Noel Frost (then the International CEO).
Some of the figures named above were responsible for creating a toxic work environment which resulted in staff in our UK Head Office feeling entirely unable to routinely voice concerns. In April, each of these individuals were suspended pending investigations, which are being carried out by an independent third-party law firm. These investigations are still ongoing.
As a result of these reports, Noel Frost was dismissed from his position in June. On August 12th, the four chairs of Barnabas Aid in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and the United Kingdom wrote to Patrick and Rosemary Sookhdeo, Caroline Kerslake and Prasad Phillips, requiring them all to resign from Barnabas Aid.
We have appointed a firm of forensic accountants to conduct further investigations into the finances of Barnabas Aid. We have also shared the interim report with the United Kingdom Charity Commission, and we will be sharing it with other regulators and stakeholders in other jurisdictions as appropriate.
There is now an unprecedented level of scrutiny on our financial processes to ensure transparency and accountability and any money donated to us will be used to help persecuted Christians.”
In a statement given to Premier, Caroline Kerslake objected to the firm Barnabas Aid hired to investigate the allegations because of Crowell and Morings’ previous work with the charity. As a result, she said she, the Sookhdeos, and Phillips will not participate in it.
“In order to ensure that the investigation is independent, and can be seen to be so, we believe that another firm should conduct the investigation, at least so far as it relates to Barnabas Aid,” the Kerslake said.
However, Andrew Carey, a Barnabas Aid Trustee, said the charity is being honest and transparent, and sought to reassure supporters.
“What we have is a crisis,” Carey said. “But even through this period, I have to assure supporters that the brilliant work of the charity is proceeding. We do have great staff, and we are partnering with some wonderful churches and communities throughout the world in some of the places in the world where Christians are persecuted are really suffering.
Sheila Stogsdill is a freelance print journalist and digital reporter, primarily covering crime issues for KSN/KODE.
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7 Responses
With my experience with Voice of the Martyrs, with which I am a whistleblower and Gospel for Asia which also raised money for “persecution” with no proof that any of the money was actually used to help anyone who is actually persecuted, I have come to the conclusion that this “ministry” is a perfect place for conmen to to go. They can raise money based on a mix of stories that are real and fake and then no actual accountability ever happens so it is perfect for them. The real persecuted do not need Mammon, they need that which only God can provide. But we have confused Mammon with actual charity, which is much, much more than simply cash.
Playing the persecution card about overseas believers works well for misdirection and deflecting questions, criticisms, and in-depth investigations. Right up there with “It’s for the children.” Makes for an easy DARVO move.
Charles,
Well said.
Even the leadership’s use of aliases makes it hard to see what’s really going on.
VOM certainly had its issues did it not? A few years back their leader killed himself right on their property. He was a pedophile
The structure of the Barnabas Fund makes it hard to decipher exactly what happened here. From a previous article here:
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/patrick-sookhdeo-sex-abuser-still-has-key-role-at-barnabas-fund-ftk3kq733
After his conviction Sookhdeo continued to have access to the Barnabas Fund offices as he had his own office there as part of another charity:
“He said that Dr Sookhdeo was not employed by the Barnabas Fund and worked at its offices in his role with another organisation, the Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life.”
Further the buildings in which the Barnabas Fund are based were owned by Servants Fellowship International, of which Sookhdeo was a director. In the aftermath of the events of 2015 the Barnabas Fund was threatened with eviction in a move which was seen as a means of bargaining:
https://www.christiantoday.com/article/patrick.sookhdeo.the.untold.story.of.the.battle.for.control.of.barnabas/69062.htm
Finally, the international activities of the Barnabas Fund seem to have administered by another charity “Christian Relief International” of which Sookhdeo was a director:
“In 2017 the Barnabas Fund entered into a “memorandum of understanding” with a US charity called Christian Relief International .. Dr Sookhdeo is a director of Christian Relief International.”
It appears to be this organisation or one with a similar name which is now the Nexcus International which is mentioned in some of the recent reports.
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/FC037864
Soon we will discover that charitable NGOs are one of the best places to hide corruption.
This saddens me so much. I have been living on a small disability pension of just over $1,000 a month for years and I have given sacrificially to Barnabas Aid, Voice of the Martyrs and Gospel For Asia for many years and am so sorry to here this. I now give to various local and small town ministries like Gospel Rescue Missions and St Vincent de Paul and Salvation Army. God will hold these people accountable.