Prince Charles Won't Be Investigated Over Acceptance of $3 Million "Cash for Honor" from Qatari Sheikh; Here's Why

The Charity Commission will not investigate Prince Charles for a $3 million cash payment packed into a suitcase and carrying bags from Qatar's former Prime Minister.

Following reports that Charles was handed three million euros by a former Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al Thani, the watchdog, claimed it had reviewed the facts and decided not to intervene.

Prince Charles Criticized Over Alleged Donations

Between 2011 and 2015, the heir to the throne, 73, was accused of receiving three contributions of about $1 million each - reported to be in 500 euro notes - that were packed in carrier bags and a holdall. While it is lawful to pass out and accept millions of dollars in cash, there has been growing concern in recent years regarding large ready-money transactions. They may be used to help launder ill-gotten wealth and provide substantial tax breaks to those who employ them.

A royal insider stated last month that the future king acts on advice and such instances had not happened in the previous half decade and will not happen again. On Wednesday, an Organization Commission spokesman stated, "We have evaluated the evidence submitted by the charity and have found that the Commission has no further regulatory function."

Clarence House stated that the gifts were immediately transferred to one of the prince's charities and that proper governance was followed. During one visit to the prince's house, Clarence House, a million euros was given out.

The foundation, which was created in 1979 with the purpose of transforming lives and building sustainable communities, offers funds to the UK registered non-profit organizations to carry out initiatives in the UK, the Commonwealth, and beyond. Last month, a Prince Charles supporter stated that, while the optics are terrible, no regulations were breached, and that the uniquely wrapped contributions were likely accepted to avoid offending to the sheik, Daily Mail reported.

The Metropolitan Police are examining The Prince's Foundation, another of Charles' charitable organizations, following accusations that one of his top aides tried to secure UK citizenship and an honor for a wealthy Saudi contributor, Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, as per Express.

Watchdog Insists Decision Follows Correct Processes

The charity watchdog stated that it had no concerns about the governance of the Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation and that trustees had submitted evidence via a major incident report that provided sufficient assurance that due diligence had occurred.

Sir Ian Cheshire, head of the organization that received the funds, indicated that the commission's judgment verified that there was no governance breakdown, as we previously maintained. Clarence House stated that it demonstrated that all of the proper steps were followed. The Sunday Times reported the monetary gifts made by Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim in three meetings between 2011 and 2015.

The Charity Commission has been debating whether to initiate an investigation into the contribution since last month, but the watchdog has now said that it has no intentions to take action. Cash donations are permitted to be received by charities, there were no allegations of criminality, and the watchdog ruled that no further investigations are required. In response to worries about collecting such large sums of money, a top royal source stated, That was then, this is now.

According to the royal source, Sheikh Hamad's money was instantly sent to the charity, which decided to accept it. Sir Ian, the charity's head, told the BBC that the optics of collecting so much cash did not seem good, but it was not uncommon for rich individuals in the Middle East to use huge quantities of cash at the time.

He stated that due to current money-laundering restrictions, significant sums of cash would be unlikely to be presented or accepted. Former Liberal Democrat minister Norman Baker described the purported cash payments as grubby and inefficient.

He wrote to the Met Police, requesting that these new complaints be added to current investigations into cash-for-honors charges involving another of the prince's organizations. Clarence House has stated that the prince did not know the alleged promise of honors or British citizenship based on charitable donations, according to BBC.

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