The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into a Christian charity, after an independent investigation revealed “inexplicable” transactions involving its founder and other senior figures.

Barnabas Aid International, also known as the Barnabas Fund, aims to support Christian communities, churches and individuals around the world. It has offices in the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia.

The regulator began assessing concerns at the charity after its founder and three key senior figures were sacked earlier this year as a result of claims of “serious financial impropriety” and a toxic work culture. 

Patrick Sookhdeo, founder and international director; Caroline Kerslake, international director of projects; Prasad Phillips, deputy international director; and Noel Frost, former chief executive, were suspended in April as a result of the whistleblowing allegations.

The charity appointed the law firm Crowell & Moring to carry out an investigation into the allegations of financial impropriety and toxic workplace culture and Frost was dismissed from his position in June. The investigation’s final report will be produced in the autumn, Third Sector understands.

According to reports in the Telegraph newspaper, the investigation’s interim report revealed that Frost allegedly used charity cards to pay for flights to Las Vegas, bikes, electronics and to transfer more than £130,000 into accounts that were linked to him personally.

Frost “told investigators that the flights were paid for in error and denied transferring money into personal accounts”, reports say.

A spokesperson for Barnabas Aid International said the full extent of the wrongdoing attributed to Sookhdeo, Kerslake, Frost and others was still being investigated.

The spokesperson said: “The allegations made against Patrick Sookhdeo and others related to safeguarding issues and a toxic working environment for staff, the abuse of internal policies and financial irregularities.”

The spokesperson told Third Sector the investigation’s interim report revealed that at least £1.3m of charitable funds had gone to Sookhdeo, adding: “At present these transactions appear inexplicable.”

The spokesperson said that Sookhdeo, his wife Rosemary Sookhdeo, Kerslake and others have been urged to engage in the independent investigation. “They have so far refused,” the spokesperson said.

Reports in the Telegraph also claimed that internal documents have shown there “could be a £15m hole in the group’s finances”, but the charity’s spokesperson said this claim was not something they recognised.

The Charity Commission has confirmed that it has opened a statutory inquiry into the charity, with a spokesperson saying: “On Tuesday 17 September, our engagement with Barnabas Fund (also known as Barnabas Aid) was escalated to a statutory inquiry. 

“In line with our usual policy, we will publish a public statement setting out the scope of our inquiry in due course.”

The spokesperson for Barnabas Aid International said the charity welcomed the statutory inquiry, saying it had been “very closely” engaged with the commission since Sookhdeo and others were suspended in April. 

They said: “We are very clear that if any wrongdoing has taken place, or if there has been any financial impropriety, we will leave no stone unturned in putting things right and recovering every penny. 

“Our staff team remain fully committed to business as usual as we seek to serve some of the most marginalised and persecuted people on the planet.”