Written By Lisa Murimi
Adam Whittington, an ex-police officer and founder of Project Rescue Children (PRC), has been accused of fabricating stories about rescuing children from human traffickers to raise funds for his charity, a BBC investigation has revealed.
Whittington claims PRC has saved over 700 children in countries like Uganda, Kenya, and The Gambia. However, the investigation found that some of these children had never been trafficked, and the funds raised did not always reach those in need.
PRC, which boasts 1.5 million followers on social media and support from celebrities, denied the allegations, calling them “misleading and defamatory.” Yet, the BBC uncovered several instances of deception. For example, Whittington raised funds for a baby supposedly rescued from traffickers who was actually with her mother the entire time.
Celebrity supporter Sam Faiers from ITV’s “The Only Way is Essex” raised £137,000 ($175,000) for a rescue center in Uganda, only to discover that less than half of the money reached the intended recipients. The rest, alleged by PRC’s Ugandan partner Alexander Ssembatya, was misappropriated by Whittington.
Further investigation in Kenya and The Gambia found no evidence of PRC’s claimed rescue centers. In one case, a Kenyan family’s photos were used without consent to solicit donations.
Whittington, now in Russia, has not responded to the BBC’s request for an interview. Meanwhile, PRC’s charitable status has been revoked in Australia, and Whittington faces scrutiny from child protection authorities in multiple countries.
