The founder and former boss of Helston-based ShelterBox and his son have appeared at the Old Bailey via a video-link to deny charges of conspiring to defraud the charity.
Thomas Henderson, 64, the former chief executive officer of ShelterBox, handed a string of deals for camping and survival equipment to his son John, 35, between 2007 and 2012, it is said.
They allegedly set up a series of companies to hide the five-year scam on the disaster relief organisation.
Henderson bypassed usual tendering processes to hand his son the contracts, even though the equipment was “not the cheapest, unnecessary, and inappropriate,” the Old Bailey heard.
Darren Gervis, 42, is also accused of helping the Hendersons hide the fraud by setting up a firm, Camping Solutions Online Ltd, to circumvent ShelterBox's procurement processes.
Thomas Henderson is also accused of trying to steal 1,000 Vango tents from the charity which were destined to be sent to disaster-hit zones in need of humanitarian aid.
His son is also facing a charge of stealing 363 stoves worth £20,328 from ShelterBox UK between December 20, 2012 and May 20, 2013.
Henderson founded the Cornwall-based charity in 2000 and was appointed OBE in 2010 for his work. HRH the Duchess of Cornwall became the charity’s President and Royal Patron in August 2007.
The three defendants denied conspiring to commit fraud when they appeared at the Old Bailey via videolink.
It is said they used company names Camping Solutions, Camping Solutions Online, Ocean Fabrications, Camping Solutions Online UK Ltd, and Found International to carry out the alleged scam.
Judge Richard Marks QC, the Common Serjeant of London, ordered them to stand trial starting on September 21.
Gervis, of Meadowside, Mosterton, Beaminster, Dorset, denied conspiracy to commit fraud. Thomas Henderson, of Barbican Way, Helston, denied conspiracy to commit fraud and attempted theft and John Henderson, of Copper Hill, Hayle, denied conspiracy to commit fraud and theft.
All three are on bail until the start of the trial, which is expected to last up to ten weeks.
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