Naomi’s very rum chums
As the fiery model’s unexpectedly honoured for her philanthropy, from Harvey Weinstein to Jeffrey Epstein and Kevin Spacey, meet...
TODAY, as she approaches 50, Naomi Campbell remains one of the most sought-after women in the world, as famous for her beauty, still, as for her sheer commercial pulling power.
She has swept all before her on catwalks and red carpets, and even now shows no sign of slowing down.
Yet even Campbell’s most enthusiastic supporters might be surprised to learn that she will soon be honoured as a humanitarian.
This unexpected turn of events comes courtesy of the prestigious British Fashion Council, which has decided to honour the Streatham-born model for her ‘philanthropic work with charities’ at a glitzy ceremony at London’s Albert Hall in December. It’s apparently a reward for Campbell’s role in creating Fashion For Relief, a personal charity dedicated to fighting poverty, sickness and distress.
After a lifetime of private planes and yacht parties, Campbell’s new role as a philanthropist might take a little getting used to, although a £ 45 million fortune means she can certainly afford to be charitable.
Until now, the model has been better known as something of a drama queen, notorious for hurling jewel-encrusted phones and raging at her staff. She has no fewer than four convictions of assault to her name.
It’s not just the drug-taking and the tantrums that Ms Campbell might want to put behind her.
For all the glamour of her jet-setting social circle, she has also rubbed shoulders with another, altogether less wholesome crowd – a hair-raising cast of characters, in fact, with dubious and in some cases bloodthirsty reputations.
No doubt Campbell plans to celebrate her half century in style, but she’d be wise to strike some old acquaintances from the guest list...
GHISLAINE MAXWELL AND JEFFREY EPSTEIN MIRED IN ALLEGATIONS OF SEX ABUSE
IT IS only in the past few days that Campbell has found herself dragged into the Epstein affair. Documents released by the American courts show she was among those who had flown in Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet, nicknamed the ‘Lolita Express’ because of his predilection for young girls.
And a new picture has now emerged showing one of Epstein’s teenage ‘sex slaves’, Virginia Roberts, attending Campbell’s lavish 31st birthday party aboard a yacht in Cannes in 2001.
There is no absolutely no suggestion that Campbell was aware of Epstein’s illegal activities, but she certainly spent time in the company both of the disgraced f i nancier and his f ri end Ghisl ai ne Maxwell, who was also at the party.
Ms Maxwell has been accused by Epstein’s victims of facilitating the abuse (which she denies.)
Last weekend, Epstein was found dead in his New York prison cell where he was awaiting trial on federal charges of trafficking underage girls for sex.
The whereabouts of Ms Maxwell are unknown.
GASTON AND KATHRIN GLOCK GUN-PUSHING BILLIONAIRES
GASTON Glock manufactures one of the most famous brands of handgun in the world but, despite her humanitarian credentials, Campbell saw nothing wrong in accepting an invitation to his recent 90th birthday party in the foothills of the Austrian Alps.
And her reason for attending the lavish event, where she was photographed smiling winsomely with Kathrin, Mr Glock’s much younger wife? The model explained she was there to ‘ support the Glocks’ horse charity’.
Mr Glock’s life reads as if it’s scripted by thriller writer John Grisham: it takes in a sex scandal, a failed assassination attempt, a bitter family feud and an attractive nurse – Kathrin – who won his heart despite a 51-year age gap.
Glock hit the big time when he decided to design his own handgun for the Austrian army. His invention would revolutionise the handgun market and earn him more than £1 billion.
CHARLES TAYLOR WARLORD WITH ‘DIRTY’ DIAMONDS
FEW supermodels are called to testify at the International Criminal Court. But when jailed war lord Charles Taylor was put on trial for war crimes at The Hague in 2010, Campbell was summoned as a witness.
Taylor was t he blood- soaked former president of Liberia, and prosecutors wanted to know about a gift of diamonds that he gave Campbell at a charity gala held in aid of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Foundation. So called ‘blood diamonds’ mattered because Taylor had used the trade in precious stones – often mined in conflict zones – to arm and equip a rebel army in Sierra Leone’s vicious civil war. At first Campbell refused to give evidence and only appeared when threatened with contempt of court proceedings.
Asked in the witness box about her reluctance, she said: ‘ I was made to be here. So, obviously I’m just like wanting to get this over with and get on with my life. This is a big inconvenience for me.’
She had previously denied having the diamonds and told the court this was because she feared for her family. Taylor was ‘someone I read on the internet has killed thousands of people, supposedly’, she said. But she did confirm that two unidentified men handed her some ‘dirty looking stones’ after the Mandela dinner.
Campbell claimed that she discovered only later that they might be blood diamonds supplied by Taylor but this account was contradicted in court by fellow guest Mia Farrow, who said Naomi was expecting a ‘huge diamond’ from the warlord. It was never made clear why he would make such a gift.
Campbell’s former agent Carole