Countess who took 30 flights on paedophile's 'Lolita Express' quits NSPCC: Lady Iveagh flew with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell on trips to private island
By MARK HOOKHAM and ANDREW YOUNG FOR MAIL ON SUNDAY
The wife of an aristocrat who flew more than 30 times on Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Lolita Express’ private jet has stepped down from her role at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
Clare Hazell raised thousands of pounds for the charity by hosting a classic car show each year at her family’s sprawling Elveden Estate in Norfolk.
The Mail on Sunday last month revealed that the interior designer – who became the Countess of Iveagh in 2001 when she married Edward Guinness, 4th Earl of Iveagh and a member of the brewing dynasty – had repeatedly travelled with serial paedophile Epstein on his private jet.
Flight logs revealed she took 32 flights between 1998 and 2000, including trips to his homes in New York, Florida, the Caribbean and New Mexico.
Clare Hazell (pictured) raised thousands of pounds for the charity by hosting a classic car show each year at her family’s sprawling Elveden Estate in Norfolk
It was subsequently reported that US investigators want to contact the countess as part of their investigation into Epstein. There is no suggestion that she was involved with, or had knowledge of, any wrongdoing.
Lady Iveagh had been president of the NSPCC’s West Suffolk branch since at least October 2011, when she opened a new children’s centre for the charity in Ipswich, Suffolk.
The Elveden Classic Car Show, which takes place in the walled gardens of the Elveden Estate, last year raised £14,000 for the branch.
Until Thursday, the car show’s website stated: ‘The NSPCC are fortunate enough to have Lady Iveagh as President for West Suffolk, and would like to thank Lord and Lady Iveagh for their continued support of this event.’
But last night, an NSPCC spokeswoman said: ‘In the past that was her title, she had a local volunteer fund- raising role within a small branch based in the West Suffolk area. She no longer volunteers with us.’
The charity, which works to protect children from abuse and help them to recover, declined to say when Lady Iveagh had stepped down or why. In a statement, it added: ‘The safety of all children and young people is our number one priority. All our volunteering roles have appropriate checks specific to their responsibilities.’
This Boeing 727, called the ‘Lolita Express’, reportedly had a bed inside that was used for sex romps with underage girls
The Countess did not respond to a request for comment.
The nature of her connection to Epstein is not fully clear. She was reportedly studying at Ohio State University in the 1990s and her contact details appear in Epstein’s infamous ‘little black book’ under her married name, Clare Hazell-Iveagh.
According to flight logs, Epstein accompanied her on all but two of the flights. Ghislaine Maxwell, who is awaiting trial for allegedly recruiting and grooming some of Epstein’s young victims, was also on many of the flights.
Andrew has been accused of having sex three times with one of Epstein’s victims. The Duke has repeatedly and strenuously denied the claims.
Last night, the charity declined to say whether it believed that Andrew should talk to US prosecutors about Epstein.
The spokeswoman said: ‘Prince Andrew is no longer our patron. He supported our Full Stop campaign which ended in 2009.’
Figure skating coach Richard Callaghan sued by former athlete, alleging sexual abuse and coverup
..
Callaghan coached Tara Lipinski and was the long-time coach
of Todd Eldridge
Figureskater Craig Maurizi testifies on Capitol Hill on April 18, 2018.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images file
By David K. Li, NBC NewsA former competitive figure skater on Monday filed a $10 million lawsuit against one of the sport's most celebrated coaches, accusing him of sexual abuse that dates back to the 1970s.
The federal civil action, filed in Buffalo by Craig Maurizi, targeted renowned coach Richard Callaghan and three figure skating organizations that allegedly turned a blind eye to his rampant misconduct.
"Callaghan's conduct was that of a textbook child sexual predator."
The 57-year-old Buffalo native Maurizi also named the Buffalo Skating Club, the Professional Skaters Association and the U.S. Figure Skating Association as co-defentants.
Callaghan did not immediately return multiple phone and email messages seeing their responses on Monday. The Buffalo Skating Club declined to speak on the matter, and referred all questions to its parent organization, the U.S. Figure Skating Association. The U.S. Figure Skating Association declined to comment.
The Professional Skaters Association said it had not received the lawsuit yet. "PSA is committed to the safety of athletes and reports all claims of abuse to the U.S. Center for SafeSport and local authorities," PSA spokeswoman Elizabeth Thornton said in a statement Monday.
Callaghan "was pushed out of" the Buffalo Skating Club in 1980 "in part because of his abuse of Craig," according to the complaint.
"Rather than take any steps to stop Callaghan's abuse, such as making an official report to USFS, PSA, or law enforcement, BSC instead foisted him on another skating club, the Philadelphia Skating Club," the lawsuit continued. "Upon information and belief, it was widely known among members of USFS and PSA that Callaghan had been pushed out of BSC because of his abuse of Craig and others."
The Buffalo Skating Club knew the coach kept alcohol in his office when he was based in western New York and regularly shared the alcohol with minors, according to the lawsuit.
“BSC was aware of Callaghan’s abuse of Craig, but permitted Callaghan to continue to use their facilities for his illegal and illicit activities,” the complaint said.
Alcohol was a key component to the sexual abuse, the former figure skater said. “As the sexual activity increased, Callaghan began taking Craig to bars,” according to the lawsuit. “Upon information and belief, numerous members of USFS and PSA were aware that Callaghan was providing Craig, his underage student, with alcohol and bringing him to bars.”
Also, the plaintiff claimed a Zamboni driver from Buffalo Skating Club walked in on Callaghan sexually abusing a minor and reported that incident to the board of directors but no action was taken.
And as far back as the 1970s, U.S. Figure Skating Association officials regularly warned young male skaters not to be alone with Callaghan, according to the lawsuit.
Last year, Callaghan was banned for life by the U.S. Center for Safesport, the federally recognized watchdog of the U.S. Olympics community, after allegations of sexual misconduct were leveled at the famed coach by another skater, Adam Schmidt.
That lifetime ban was later reduced to a three-year suspension.
Callaghan is best known for coaching then-unheralded Tara Lipinski to the gold medal at the 1998 Nagano Olympics. He also tutored Todd Eldredge to gold at the 1996 world championships in Edmonton.
The coach has steadily denied any wrongdoing. At the time of the ban, Callaghan's attorney, Dean Groulx, told NBC News he believes the Safesport investigation was a "witch hunt."
Maurizi is seeking $10 million in addition to punitive damages to "deter their willful and wanton conduct," his lawsuit said.
The plaintiff has been a longtime, outspoken critic of amateur sports federations for not doing more to curb sexual abuse of athletes.
Maurizi said he's only able to sue his former coach and the governing bodies after legislation, signed into law in New York in 2019, allowed victims of decades-old misconduct to file lawsuits.
The alleged abuse began when Maurizi, who now lives in New Jersey, was a child in New York and his lawsuit was filed in federal court because all the defendants reside in states outside of Maurizi's New Jersey, the plaintiff's lawyer said.
Callaghan lives in Florida, while the Professional Skaters Association is based in Minnesota, the U.S. Figure Skating in Colorado and Buffalo Skating Club in New York.
'He left my life in a shambles': World Cup winner Villa accused of sexual harassment in US
Former Spain striker David Villa faces allegations from his time at New York City FC
© Vincent Carchietta / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters | Juan Medina / Reuters
The ex-intern, known as Skyler B, insisted she "truly hated" Villa and called the former Barcelona hotshot "truly the worst" in a series of allegations against the 38-year-old on Twitter.
She said that returning to employment in a professional sports setting seemed "terrifying" because of the alleged harrassment she had endured at the hands of Villa and others at the club, which she claimed had included sexual misconduct, pushing and bullying.
"I thought I was getting the opportunity of a lifetime when I got that internship," she began, heralding a deluge of questions and support on social media.
"What I got was David Villa touching me every f*ing day and my bosses thinking it was great comedic material.
"I still find it hilarious that I was constantly told I had a terrible attitude at that job – like I wasn’t showing up every day knowing I was going to be groped or mocked or two-hand shoved in the back. Of f*ing course I had a bad attitude."
Villa spent four successful years at City towards the end of his celebrated career, scoring 80 goals in all competitions to become the club's all-time leading scorer by a considerable margin.
Responding to recent announcements praising Villa's current involvement in professional football, Skyler asked: "You're all inspired by a man who used his 'greatness' to get away with being a big ol' creep where he worked? Yikes. During his years playing and living in New York he was a gigantic creep but we all know that’s no reason to keep him out of positions of power."
Villa, who won Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup with Spain to become a hero in his homeland, is yet to respond to press requests for his comments on the allegations.
"I’m changing my entire career because the sh*t they did to me ruined my dreams," continued Skyler, later announcing that she was about to start a new job following a successful interview.
"I’m nervous but very excited to work in a place where I probably won’t be groped by an internationally famous athlete and have it just be Tuesday. Women brave enough to tell their stories this loudly are my heroes."
Skyler drew parallels with the allegations of sexual harassment at NFL club the Washington Redskins, where chief operating officer Mitch Gershman said he did not remember a woman who had spoken out against him.
"I guarantee if someone brought my name up to David Villa, he wouldn’t know who I am," she said. He never called me by my name. I rarely went a day without him grabbing me or verbally harassing me but he never bothered to learn my name."
She confessed to being "straight-up exhausted" by the unexpected attention her tweets had received and dismissed as laughable the idea of anyone at the club being held responsible for the alleged incidents.
"I didn’t say anything for a long time because I know how much he’s loved and it’s hard to go up against an icon like that. For people who don’t know me and who have loved him, to believe me is really a surreal feeling.
"I know for him I was a convenient target and had zero impact on his life, whereas he left mine in a shambles. And I’m very sure I’m not the only one he’s treated that way, I doubt he would remember the rest, either."
After reading the tweets, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Zach Banner appealed to male employees in the NFL to speak up against "bad men" perpetrating harassment.
"Do these men actually exist?" retorted Skyler. "Everyone I worked with knew what was going on at NYCFC and made jokes but never once said sh*t on my behalf. You good guys need to make better men out of your friends."
When a fan asked the club to speak to witnesses in an attempt to provide "accountability and healing", Skyler replied: "There are definitely witnesses who still work there. I don’t know how many will admit to their roles in letting it happen, though. [Villa is] truly the worst person I have ever interacted with."
Russian historian Dmitriev given jail time for ‘violent acts of a sexual nature’ against adopted daughter
Russian historian Yuri Dmitriev, who was charged with sexually abusing his adopted daughter, is escorted by police officers after a court hearing in Petrozavodsk, Russia July 22, 2020 © REUTERS/Anton Vaganov
By Jonny TickleHistorian Yury Dmitriev has been handed a prison sentence for sexually abusing his daughter, an orphan he adopted. Dmitriev’s supporters believe the charges are politically motivated, related to his work on Stalin’s Great Terror.
The prosecutor’s office had requested 15 years in a strict penal colony, but the presiding judge gave Dmitriev three and a half years. Due to time served, this means he will likely be released in November.
Sounds like the judge understood the political aspect of these charges and didn't really play along with the expected narrative. Good for him. Hope he survives.
In 2016, Dmitriev was arrested after photographs of his daughter were found on his computer. The historian was accused of making child pornography, but was acquitted by a Petrozavodsk court in 2018. He was also found not guilty of another charge – illegal possession of parts of weapons.
A few months later, his acquittal was canceled and he was re-arrested (2nd story on link), with an extra indictment – “violent acts of a sexual nature against a minor.” Based on his daughter’s testimony, Dmitriev was accused repeatedly touching her genitals when she was eight years old. The historian claimed that he was just checking to see if she had wet herself, as the child was often involuntarily doing so. A diagnosis of enuresis was confirmed by a hospital.
According to his supporters, the case against Dmitriev is politically motivated and has been fabricated due to his discovery of Great Terror execution sites in northwestern Russia.
Conducted by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in the 1930s, the Great Terror (or ‘Great Purge’) was a repression campaign against political enemies and ethnic minorities, in which hundreds of thousands of people were killed. In his career as a historian, Dmitriev searched for massacre locations, and in the 1990s, famously helped discover Sandarmokh, where over 6,000 people are buried in communal pits.
Sandarmoh, Russia
Sandarmokh is a forest massif 12 kilometres from Medvezhyegorsk in the Republic of Karelia where thousands of victims of Stalin's Great Terror were executed. Over 9,000 people of more than 58 nationalities were shot and buried there in 236 communal pits over a 14-month period in 1937 and 1938.
3,500 were inhabitants of Karelia, 4,500 were prisoners working for the White Sea - Baltic Canal, and 1,111 were brought here from the Solovki special prison. Alongside hard-working peasants, fishermen and hunters from nearby villages, there were writers and poets, scientists and scholars, military leaders, doctors, teachers, engineers, clergy of all confessions and statesmen who found their final resting place here.
(Wikipedia)
Russian bodybuilding champ detained on suspicion of sexually abusing a minor
File Photo © Global Look Press / Mohammed Talatene
Russian bodybuilding star and actor Alexander Krupnov has reportedly been detained in Moscow on suspicion of sexually abusing a girl who has not reached the age of consent.
The European bodybuilding medalist is said to have exchanged online messages with a 15-year-old girl, trying to engage her in a sexual relationship.
The couple met several times and Krupnov allegedly had sex with the girl, whose name has not been revealed.
The girl’s parents found their online correspondence in which Krupnov described their sex life, and alerted the police, accusing the bodybuilder of pedophilia.
Krupnov, who is also a well-known fitness coach, was detained on Wednesday and faces charges of sexually abusing a minor.
Police initiated criminal proceedings against the athlete, who has been accused of “having a sexual relationship with a person under 16 years of age.”
The two-time Russian champion refused to open the door to police, forcing them to break the door down.
Somehow that seems appropriate!
It is not known how Krupnov intends to plead. He could face up to 20 years in jail if found guilty.
‘Education’ or ‘child abuse’? Wife of ex-Clinton adviser tells parents to watch porn with kids, igniting internet
George Stephanopoulos and his wife, Ali Wentworth, on red carpet at annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington © REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Should children be allowed to watch porn? They will anyway, so parents must watch it with them, says actress Ali Wentworth, the wife of ABC news anchor George Stephanopoulos, sending social media into a frenzy.
Wentworth’s comments were slipped into a much larger conversation on Debra Messing’s ‘The Dissenters’ podcast last week, but they found themselves highlighted on a number of platforms on Monday evening, especially by conservative pundits.
“In porn, women have been conditioned to look and act a certain way,” Wentworth said. “They’re performing, and it’s dangerous to have boys see this as something women want. You can’t stop them, so I’d watch it with them. I would look at the porn with them that one time.”
The author and ‘Jerry Maguire’ actress went on to explain that she sees it as no different to scrolling through social media with her two teenage daughters. “I say, ‘Do you see this girl? There’s a hole she’s trying to fill,’” she said.
Obviously, she didn't mean for that to be taken literally, but could she possibly have chosen a less appropriate metaphor?
Her comments sent social media into a frenzy, with many questioning whether the act of watching pornography with your children would constitute child abuse.
“Our culture is rotted. Almost entirely. It will take generations to fix what we’ve done. But we better get started,” commentator Jason Howerton tweeted in reaction.
“George Stephanopoulos’ Wife: I’d Watch Porn With My Teenage Daughters – good for her. Though she could face child abuse charges if the daughters mention it to the wrong person,”wrote clinical psychologist David J Ley, who has written extensively on subjects such as sex addiction in the past.
Others have taken an even harsher stance, including conservative actress Mindy Robinson, who blasted Wentworth as a “degenerate” and suggested she needs to be looked into by “child services.”
Wentworth and Stephanopoulos married in 2001 and have two daughters, 15-year-old Harper and 17-year-old Elliott.
Daughters - Harper and Elliott. I think her sense of humor might be beyond absurd.
She’s mostly faced backlash for her comments, but Wentworth’s porn theory raised no red flags with podcast host Debra Messing, who promoted the show and acknowledged that “porn” was a topic of discussion. She even called Wentworth “profound” when promoting the episode.
The conversation was also given a positive write-up in US Magazine, which focused on Wentworth’s ‘scrolling through social media’ analogy.
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