Nelly Furtado to donate Gaddafi money to charity

Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado has pledged to donate to charity the money she was paid for performing for family members of beleaguered Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

The 32-year-old musician is one of several celebrities, including Mariah Carey, Beyonce Knowles and Usher, who have come under fire in the recent past for their links with the repressive ruler through their performances.

Furtado decided that honesty is the best policy and declared on Twitter: "In 2007, I received 1million$ from the Qaddafi clan to perform a 45 min. Show for guests at a hotel in Italy. I am going to donate the $."

According to People magazine, the aforementioned musicians also received undisclosed sums of money from the Gaddafi family to stage performances for their guests.

Gaddafi, who has been in power for 40 years, is under increasing domestic and international pressure to quit following widespread political protests in his country, which his forces are being accused of violently attempting to suppress.

Thousands of people have fled the violence in the North African nation, which is believed to have killed around 1,000 Libyans.