Draft:Jill Kelley
Jill Kelley | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Jill Kelley | |
| Born | Jill Gilberte Khawam June 3, 1975 Beirut, Lebanon |
| Occupations |
|
| Spouse |
Scott Kelley (m. 1999) |
| Children | 3[1] |
| Website | jillkelley |
Jill Kelley (born June 3, 1975[2]) is a Lebanese-American socialite and philanthropist.
Biography[edit]
Jill Kelley was born Gilberte Khawam on June 3, 1975 in Beirut, Lebanon to Syrian parents.[3][1] Her identical twin sister is Natalie Khawam, a Washington, D.C. lawyer.[3][4] She grew up near Philadelphia, and was known as Gigi.[3] She has an older sister and a younger brother.[3]
Her parents immigrated to the United States in 1976 and opened a Middle Eastern restaurant in Voorhees, New Jersey in 1988.[3] Jill graduated from Lower Moreland High School in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania in 1993. She then worked with a physician as a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. She met Scott Kelley, a cancer surgeon, and the two married in 1998.[3] The couple has three children.[1]
Since the early 2000s, Jill and Scott have been known for their lavish parties, starting with the Tampa-area social community, and later for military leaders and other dignitaries. These include parties at their house in Tampa, and various events in Washington, D.C.[4][5][3] In November 2017, Jill hosted a party at the Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C. to celebrate Donald Trump winning the 2016 United States presidential election.[6]
In 2007, she founded the Doctor Kelley Cancer Foundation along with her husband and sister.[1] The foundation's mission was "to conduct cancer research and to grant wishes to terminally ill adult cancer patients."[7] The charity went bankrupt by the end of the year.[8]
Jill and Scott Kelley started Kelley Land Holdings, a property company. The company was the subject of a foreclosure suit in Tampa 2010.[1]
In 2012, she held the informal title Honorary Consul to South Korea.[1][5] She also served as Honorary Ambassador to U.S. Central Command in Tampa.[4]
Recognition[edit]
Kelley was honored by the Joint Chiefs of Staff for work on behalf of United States Central Command and its international coalition.[5]
Controversies[edit]
Petraeus scandal[edit]
Jill and Scott Kelley met General David Petraeus when he was transferred to MacDill Air Force Base in November 2008. They quickly became friends, and had frequent dinner parties together. Through the Petraeuses, the Kelleys became close to other senior military personnel, including John R. Allen and Robert Harward.[3]
In 2012, Kelley filed a complaint to the FBI that she was being harassed over email. The ensuing investigation uncovered that General Petraeus was having an extramarital affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell, and that Broadwell had authored the emails to Kelley. The investigation also uncovered 20,000-30,000 pages of possibly "inappropriate communication" between Kelley and General John R. Allen.[1]
Financial problems[edit]
Jill and Scott have experienced various financial problems, including foreclosures and millions of dollars in credit card and other debt.[1][3]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Bengali, Shashank; Cloud, David S.; Tanfani, Joseph (November 14, 2012). "Jill Kelley, key figure in David Petraeus scandal, led lavish life". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 5, 2024.
- ^ "Jill Kelley, Medical Practice". jillkelley.net. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
Jill Kelley (born June 3, 1975) is an active humanitarian, dedicated to efforts both in the United States and around the world.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Ward, Vicky (November 29, 2016). "The Bizarre Scandal That Brought Down General David Petraeus". Town & Country Magazine. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ a b c Whitlock, Craig (February 3, 2015). "Jill Kelley e-mails depict a striving Tampa socialite and a smitten military brass". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
At left is Jill's twin, Natalie Khawam.
- ^ a b c Altman, Howard (December 1, 2015). "Clinton advisor bashed Jill Kelley in newly released emails". The Tampa Tribune. Archived from the original on June 20, 2018.
- ^ Plott, Elaina (November 8, 2017). "Jill Kelley Plans A Party Wednesday at the Trump Hotel to Celebrate Donald Trump's Victory". The Washingtonian. Archived from the original on November 13, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ "Doctor Kelley Cancer Foundation Inc". GuideStar. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ Cherkis, Jason; Wilkie, Christina. "Jill Kelley, Woman Who Sparked Petraeus Scandal, Ran Questionable Charity". HuffPost. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
By the end of 2007, the charity had gone bankrupt, having conveniently spent exactly the same amount of money, $157,284, as it started with -- not a dollar more, according to its 990 financial form.
External links[edit]
- JillKelley.com – personal website
- Military Diplomatic Strategies – Military Diplomatic Strategies
- Jill Kelley on X