Madonna's two charities and Kabbalah Centre under tax evasion probe

Los Angeles-based spiritual organisation Kabbalah Centre, whose followers include Madonna and other celebrities, is the focus of a federal tax evasion probe.

Two charities linked to Madonna are also being scrutinised.

Sources familiar with the investigation said the criminal division of the Internal Revenue Service is looking into whether nonprofit funds were used for the personal enrichment of the Berg family, which has controlled the Kabbalah Centre for more than four decades.

The Bergs and the Kabbalah Centre are named in subpoenas as a subject of a grand jury probe alongside Madonna's Raising Malawi charity.

"We have tried to provide as much information as we can as quickly as possible to the people who are investigating and are very actively cooperating in every way we can," the Los Angeles Times quoted Trevor Neilson from Raising Malawi, as saying.

The charities said they are cooperating with the investigation.

The investigation comes as a handful of lawsuits are raising other questions about the Kabbalah Centre's financial dealings.