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Jill Kelley

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For other people with similar names, see Jill Kelly (disambiguation).

Jill Kelley
File:Jill and Scott Kelley.jpg
Scott and Jill Kelley
Born
Gilberte Khawam

(1975-06-03) June 3, 1975 (age 49)
Beirut, Lebanon
Occupation(s)Advocate, Socialite
SpouseScott Kelley
Children3

Gilberte "Jill" Khawam Kelley (born June 3, 1975) is a Lebanese-American socialite and privacy advocate [1]. She was named by the New York Times "An Apostle for Privacy" [2] Kelley, a Florida socialite with connections to military circles, later issued a complaint to the FBI in May 2012 over a series of anonymous stalking e-mails.[3] The threatening emails were traced to Paula Broadwell, the biographer of General David Petraeus. Kelley became a focus of media coverage when an FBI investigation related to e-mails she had received led to the public becoming aware that General David Petraeus was having an affair[4] and a further investigation of e-mail communications General John R. Allen sent to Kelley.[5][6] In January 2013, the Department of Defense Inspector General cleared Allen of all allegations involving Kelley, stating that the claims against Allen were "unsubstantiated".[4]

As a result of this incident, Kelley has become an advocate for internet privacy and security.[7]

Personal life

Jill Kelley was born Gilberte Khawam in Beirut, Lebanon[8] on June 3, 1975. As the Honorary Ambassador to United States Central Command's Coalition Forces, Kelley is known to be someone with 'connective tissue' to the diplomatic world.[2] Diplomats used Jill Kelley's connections with Central Command Senior Generals to secure briefings for visiting foreign dignitaries.[3] Kelley is a regular on the DC diplomatic circuit and frequently attended embassy events.[4] Known to be the go-between for Lebanese and other Middle Eastern government officials, she was active with dignitaries from the region and invited to functions at various embassies in Washington.[5]

Since moving to Tampa, Kelley has devoted considerable time to community service, both to the local homeless as well as to the large community of servicemen and women in the Tampa area.[9]

In March 2011, she received the Joint Chief of Staff Award for public service for "building positive relationships between the military and the Tampa community".[10]

Family and marriage

In 1999, Kelley married cancer surgeon Dr. Scott Kelley. Dr. Kelley completed his undergraduate degree at Dartmouth College, attended Columbia University Medical School,[6] and completed surgical residency at the University of Pennsylvania.[7] They live with their three children in Tampa, Florida. Her family includes her identical twin sister, Natalie Khawam;[11] a brother, David Khawam; and sister, Caroline.[12] Jill's parents[13] are Lebanese-American Maronite Catholics who immigrated to the United States from Jounieh, Lebanon in the mid-1970s.[14] Kelley lived in the Philadelphia area until her mid-20s.[15] She studied to be a doctor and she researched and published medical research at the University of Pennsylvania, in addition to medical course work at Hahnemann Hospital.[8] Jill Kelley put her medical studies on hold at one point to have a baby.

E-mail investigation

In May 2012, Kelley complained to an FBI investigator of harassing e-mails sent by an anonymous person. In her communication with the FBI, Kelley stated that the e-mails appeared to be an attempt to blackmail General Petraeus. After the threats increased, and included her family's whereabouts, Kelley filed an official report with the FBI in June 2012. The stalker was reported to be Paula Broadwell, mistress of David Petraeus. [16] During the course of the criminal investigation, government officials disclosed Kelley's name as the victim to the Washington Post, along with the evidentiary emails she provided to the FBI. [17] It was followed by revelations that FBI agents searched "years" of Kelley's personal e-mails not pertinent or relevant to the case, [18] which was followed by false descriptions of her personal emails by a series of hints to the press about emails between U.S.’s top commander in Afghanistan, General John Allen. [19] The accusations sparked an investigation by the Department of Defense, in which the Inspector General's report concluded the government leaks and accusations were baseless and the email content was not improper. [20] [21] Nonetheless the false accusations stated by government officials, made Kelley a near-daily feature of the media, creating a sideshow at her family's expense. [22] November 6th, 2013 Kelley penned an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal warning against government surveillance by describing herself as the "human face" of the damage that can be caused by government probing into Americans' personal communications. Since her story, she became an advocate for privacy rights to "prevent her unwarranted tragedy from ever happening to another innocent family." [23]


According to a lawsuit Kelley and her husband filed against the FBI, Department of Defense and other governmental agencies on June 3, 2013, "[b]y disclosing the contents of the Kelleys' emails, by either directly sharing contents of the emails or making statements suggesting that the content of the emails was lurid, government officials served Mrs. Kelley up on a platter to be devoured in a frenzy of salacious speculation regarding the nature of her relationship with Director Petraeus." [24]

Public life

Kelley and her husband have been active socialites in the Tampa area, appearing in local news items and making television appearances.[25][26][27] Kelley became a volunteer social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.[28] Kelley and her husband were known for hosting cigar and caviar parties for military leaders at their home near the United States Central Command, a theater-level Unified Combatant Command of the U.S. Department of Defense established in 1983.[29]

In July 2013, she was sought out by an Afghan Parliament member to create a dialogue between his government and the U.S. around the possibility of the withdrawal of U.S. troops after 2014. In response to the request Kelley said, "I am honored to resume my focus to promote cross-cultural dialogue and global trust for a peaceful and strategic exit to help our U.S. and Coalition forces transition out of Afghanistan".[30]

Kelley is a former Honorary Consul General for the Republic of Korea, a title she was given in thanks for her volunteer work with coalition troops.[31][32][33] In 2012, New York businessman Adam Victor accused Kelley of using her position as special envoy to South Korea for personal gain. Despite her denying the allegations, South Korea removed Kelley from the position.[34][35][36][37][38]

References

  1. ^ http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-07/petraeus-scandals-jill-kelley-becomes-a-privacy-champion
  2. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/06/us/from-petraeus-scandal-an-apostle-for-privacy.html?_r=0
  3. ^ Rosenberg, Ethan (September 25, 2013). "Obama Administration Seeks to Dismiss Jill Kelley Defamation Case". U.S. News and World Report.
  4. ^ a b "Gen. Allen, Top Commander in Afghanistan, Cleared of Wrongdoing With Socialite - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. January 22, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  5. ^ "Jill Kelley Says Paula Broadwell Tried to 'Blackmail' Her". The Daily Beast. January 22, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  6. ^ "Pentagon investigation clears Gen. Allen of improper behavior in email exchanges - Investigations". Openchannel.nbcnews.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  7. ^ [1] Bloomberg Businessweek April 12, 2013
  8. ^ Jill Kelley, key figure in Petraeus scandal, led lavish life Los Angeles Times November 14, 2012
  9. ^ "Jill Kelley Sues FBI, Defense Department In Petraeus Scandal". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  10. ^ Gregg Re (November 22, 2012). "Jill Kelley was awarded Joint Chiefs' No. 2 civilian medal". The Daily Caller. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  11. ^ Staff report (October 22, 1993). Philadelphia fans short on memory but long on faith. Philadelphia Inquirer
  12. ^ "Jill Kelley, woman who sparked Petraeus probe, has Philadelphia roots - Philly.com". Articles.philly.com. November 12, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  13. ^ CTV News, "CTV National News" airdate November 13, 2012
  14. ^ Leger, Donna Leinwand (November 12, 2012) Jill Kelley ID'd as woman who sparked Petraeus inquiry. USA Today
  15. ^ Laker, Barbara (November 12, 2012). Petraeus email trail has Philly link. philly.com
  16. ^ http://bigstory.ap.org/article/govt-seeks-dismissal-petraeus-related-lawsuit http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/08/20/petraeus-mistress-secretly-followed-tampa-socialite/
  17. ^ http://m.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/fbi-probe-of-petraeus-triggered-by-e-mail-threats-from-biographer-officials-say/2012/11/10/d2fc52de-2b68-11e2-bab2-eda299503684_story.html
  18. ^ http://tbo.com/list/military-news/feds-wont-revisit-socialite-kelleys-emails-20130703/ http://mobile.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-07/petraeus-scandals-jill-kelley-becomes-a-privacy-champion/
  19. ^ http://mobile.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-07/petraeus-scandals-jill-kelley-becomes-a-privacy-champion
  20. ^ http://tbo.com/list/military-news/feds-wont-revisit-socialite-kelleys-emails-20130703/
  21. ^ http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/01/23/us/pentagon-clears-general-allen-over-e-mails-with-socialite.html?geo=US&hpw=&rref=us
  22. ^ http://mobile.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-07/petraeus-scandals-jill-kelley-becomes-a-privacy-champion http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/01/06/us/from-petraeus-scandal-an-apostle-for-privacy.html?hl=en&geo=US&hpw=&rref=us
  23. ^ http://m.us.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303482504579179670250714560?mobile=y
  24. ^ "UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA" (PDF). The Huffington Post. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  25. ^ Hooper, Ernest (January 7, 2003). Food and family, bringing in the greens. St. Petersburg Times
  26. ^ Keeler, Janet K. (January 15, 2003). Lights! Camera! Cook! St. Petersburg Times
  27. ^ Scourtes, Mary (January 15, 2003). Tasty Television. The Tampa Tribune
  28. ^ Petraeus friend Jill Kelley found place hosting military parties Tampa Bay Times November 13, 2012
  29. ^ Carol D. Leonnig (November 13, 2012), Jill Kelley: Tampa woman who was hostess to the military The Washington Post
  30. ^ "Altman: Afghan politician seeks Jill Kelley's help". Tampa Tribune. July 28, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  31. ^ Daily Mail, "Is Petraeus affair the new Lewinsky scandal? General's lover and whistleblower friend both turn to Monica aides for legal advice", Paul Thompson, November 12, 2012
  32. ^ TalkingPointsMemo, "Jill Kelley, An Embarrassment to Honorary Consuls Everywhere", Josh Marshall, November 13, 2012
  33. ^ The Business Insider, "Jill Kelley Is An "Honorary Consul" Of Korea And Thinks She Has Diplomatic Immunity", Henry Blodget, November 13, 2012
  34. ^ "Honorary consuls: A booming trade". The Economist. August 31, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  35. ^ "South Korea to sack Tampa socialite Jill Kelley as honorary consul". nbcnews. November 27, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  36. ^ "David Petraeus: Jill Kelley ousted as honorary consul to South Korea". Telegraph.co.uk. November 27, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  37. ^ "Petraeus scandal figure to lose 'honorary consul' title, South Korean official says". CNN. November 26, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  38. ^ "South Korea: Jill Kelley losing honorary consul title". CBS News. November 26, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2013.

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