A lifestyle app backed by Sarah Ferguson has received £1m in taxpayer funding before it even launched.
vVoosh was founded by Ms Ferguson’s close friend Manuel Fernandez, who claims it will be a “revolutionary” service that will allow users to “find, plan, share, live and remember all the things you love to do and those you haven’t tried yet”.
In 2016, Ms Ferguson described herself as an “ambassador” for the app and lent £50,000 to the business through her company La Luna Investments. La Luna also owns less than one percent of the company.
The app was founded 15 years ago but was never launched and has gone into administration. A report filed this week by the company overseeing the company’s management said the app was backed by £9m of funding, including £1m of UK government research and development tax credits.
The company hired teams in London and India to develop the app but did not have enough funding to continue development, the report said.
It also noted that “there has been a breakdown in communication between current directors/major creditors and the founders” [Mr Fernandez]he ceased communication after he resigned as director earlier this year.”
Sarah Ferguson previously denied rumors that she and Manuel Fernandez were a couple – David M. Bennett/Getty Images
It is the latest blow for Ms Ferguson, who lost her title as duchess after her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his title as Duke of York over his links to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
In September, several charities stopped sponsoring her after an email emerged in which she described Mr Epstein as her “supreme friend”.
Ms Ferguson and Mr Fernandez have been regularly photographed together at high-profile events, including Sir Bob Geldof’s wedding and the Cannes Film Festival. She previously denied rumors they were a couple, telling the Daily Mail they were “just friends – friends and business partners”.
Mr Fernandez resigned from the company in March this year. The report said a former director, believed to be Mr Fernandez, owed the company £324,609. It is understood that he left the UK last year after selling his £1.3 million house in north London.
Earlier this month, Mr. Fernandez denied taking money from the company, The Times reported. He told the newspaper that the allegation would be “overturned during the course of the legal proceedings.”
The company’s philanthropic arm has not filed any financial reports. The Charity Commission is currently considering removing it from the register.
A source told The Times: “We have now prompted the charity to be formally removed from the register of charities as it is not operating.”
According to Fernandez’s LinkedIn profile, he served in the Royal British Legion for four years before entering the business world.
The Telegraph has contacted Ms Ferguson and Mr Fernandez for comment.