Fergie Chambers
James Cox Chambers Jr. (born c. 1985),[1] also known as Fergie Chambers, is an Muslim American political activist, philanthropist and heir in the Cox family, which derives its wealth from Cox Enterprises.
Chambers is socialist and Islamist, believing Islam is innately political and 'revolutionary.'[2][3]
Early life and education
[edit]Chambers is the son of James Cox Chambers and Lauren Hamilton; the Cox family controls Cox Enterprises.[4] He spent his childhood in Brooklyn, New York, primarily with his mother, as his parents divorced when he was two years old.[4][5][6] After attending Saint Ann's School, Chambers was admitted to Bard College, but dropped out before completing a degree.[5] He subsequently worked for a year at Manheim Auctions, a company owned by his family, as a management trainer.[5][4] Chambers owned a portion of Cox Enterprises until divesting from the company in 2023, resulting in a payout estimated by Rolling Stone of at least $250 million.[7]
Activism
[edit]Chambers has previously described himself as a Communist and has provided funding for leftist causes, including through paying legal fees for others.[1] In Massachusetts, he founded a group called the Berkshire Communists, which identifies itself as a "revolutionary Marxist-Leninist collective"; his title is general secretary.[8][9][4] Chambers also opened a gym called the Berkshire People's Gym which was closed to "landlords and capitalists", among others.[9] His property purchases in the Berkshires have been described as forming a "commune" by Mother Jones.[5] In Georgia, Chambers has provided financial support for members of the Stop Cop City movement.[5][10]
Chambers is a vocal supporter of Hamas; he described the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel as "a moment of hope and inspiration".[5][9] While denying to Mother Jones a report that he chanted "Death to America" every day, Chambers said "I think the most important thing for the prosperity of humanity is the destruction of the US".[5] He has also been supportive of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and visited Russian-occupied Donbas.[6]
Personal life
[edit]Chambers was first married to a Russian woman, Anya Vostrova, whom he met at Bard. They lived in Russia for some time after 2008, and have three children together.[5][6][7] Chambers and his second wife, Cameron Park, met in Atlanta after his return from Russia.[6] In 2013, Chambers was arrested for domestic battery and false imprisonment of Park, although he was not prosecuted; they divorced after 2020.[4][6][7] In February 2024, he married Stella Schnabel, daughter of filmmaker Julian Schnabel; they have a son together.[5][7]
Chambers is a practicing Muslim and currently resides in Tunis, Tunisia, where he is a sponsor of Club Africain.[11][7] Chambers previously lived in New Hampshire and the Berkshires region of Massachusetts.[1][12] His wealth is self-reported to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d McPhee, Michele (2023-10-27). "Cox Family Fortune Heir: 'I Chant Death to America Every Day'". LAMag. Archived from the original on 2024-03-23. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ Eagle, Heather Bellow, The Berkshire (2023-11-16). "Young. Communist. Gun-owner. Multimillionaire. Pro-Palestine. Pro-Hamas. Berkshire landowner. Meet James 'Fergie' Chambers". The Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Revolutionary Islam is back, right when more are reverting at once than possibly ever before". X. 28 April 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Weiss, Suzy (4 December 2023). "He's Got $250 Million to Spend on Communist Revolution". The Free Press. Archived from the original on 2024-03-22. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Butler, Kiera (2024-03-21). "There's a Communist Multimillionaire Fomenting Revolution in Atlanta". Mother Jones. Archived from the original on 2024-03-27. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ a b c d e Adler, Dan (2024-05-01). "The Life and Times of Fergie Chambers". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 2024-05-30. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ a b c d e Peisner, David (2024-03-24). "Fergie Chambers Is Heir to One of America's Richest Families — and Determined to See the U.S. Fall". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2024-03-27. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
- ^ Bellow, Heather (2023-12-12). "Has Fergie Chambers shut down the Berkshire Communists' 'gym' as ordered by Alford officials? It remains unclear". The Berkshire Eagle. Archived from the original on 2024-03-26. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ a b c Bellow, Heather (2023-11-16). "Young. Communist. Gun-owner. Multimillionaire. Pro-Palestine. Pro-Hamas. Berkshire landowner. Meet James 'Fergie' Chambers". The Berkshire Eagle. Archived from the original on 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
- ^ Wheatley, Thomas (19 July 2023). ""Stop Cop City" petition drive backed by big bucks". Axios. Archived from the original on 23 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ Ben Ibrahim, Chedly. "American Multimillionaire Fergie Chambers Becomes Sponsor of Club Africain". hanslucas.com. Hans Lucas. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Bellow, Heather (2024-01-09). "Alford has shut down Fergie Chambers' communist gym for permit breach". The Berkshire Eagle. Archived from the original on 2024-03-26. Retrieved 2024-03-29.