Ex-CIA chief Petraeus tried to restrain 'lover' Broadwell from sending 'jealousy-fueled emails' to 'other woman'
London, Nov. 13 (ANI)
Former CIA director David Petraeus reportedly tried to rein in his mistress after the FBI discovered that she had sent a string of harassing emails to a Florida socialite, who was also a friend to the retired general.
Paula Broadwell, Petraeus' biographer and lover, allegedly sent threatening messages to Jill Kelley, a 37-year-old "social liaison" for the US military in Tampa, triggering the FBI investigation, which led to the ex-general's downfall.
When Kelley, a family friend of the Petraeuses, learned from the FBI that the anonymous messages were coming from Broadwell she turned to the former general for help. Petraeus then urged Broadwell to stop sending the emails, the Telegraph reports.
According to the paper, Kelley reportedly went to the FBI in early summer after she began receiving the emails. The relationship between the general and his biographer is believed to have ended in July.
On Sunday Kelley, who insists that the former CIA director is just a close friend who is like a grandfather to her children, was identified as the woman Broadwell believed was her rival, the paper said.
After stating that she and her husband, Scott, a surgeon, "have been friends with Mr Petraeus and his family for over five years", Kelley requested privacy and briefly fled their 1.2 million dollar mansion after being besieged by media during a birthday party for one of her daughters, the paper added.
Neighbours and friends yesterday supported the mother-of-three's strenuous denials that she had engaged in anything other than friendship with the 60-year-old retired general.
"She would say he was kind of like a grandpa to her girls," said one, who asked not to be named.