The outbreak - mainly confined to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea - required a massive humanitarian operation, with around $100m (£76m) in cash donations dispersed to Red Cross societies in those three countries by the Red Cross Federation in Geneva.

In Liberia, $2.7m (over £2m) disappeared in fraudulently overpriced supplies, or in salaries for non-existent aid workers, the Red Cross says.In Sierra Leone, Red Cross staff apparently colluded with a local bank to skim off over $2m. In Guinea, where investigations are ongoing, around $1m disappeared in fake customs bills.

The Red Cross says it is deeply sorry for the losses, adding that it has introduced stricter financial rules, and has promised to hold any Red Cross staff involved to account.Fraud involving donor money is every aid agency's nightmare. The Red Cross is probably the world's best known humanitarian organisation, and this revelation will be damaging.