More than 100 celebrities and activists are urging Spain to free James "Fergie" Chambers, an American millionaire accused by U.S. authorities of laundering money to finance Hamas.
U.S. authorities allege that James "Fergie" Chambers, a Cox family heir, laundered millions of dollars to finance Hamas. More than 100 celebrities and activists — including Richard Gere and Natasha Lyonne — are now urging Spain to block his extradition and grant him asylum instead, casting him as a philanthropist punished for supporting Palestinians.
Who Is Fergie Chambers?
Chambers, 41, is an heir to the Cox family fortune built on Cox Enterprises and an outspoken supporter of the Palestinian cause. Spanish police arrested him in Ibiza on July 10 pursuant to a U.S. extradition request, and he has since been detained near Madrid.
The precise allegations against Chambers remain partly sealed. The Guardian reported that the Trump administration is seeking his extradition for alleged financial support of Hamas, among other charges. According to the newspaper, the case involves allegations that Chambers laundered $7.5 million transferred from a U.S. bank account to Tunisia and used the funds to support Hamas. Chambers and his attorneys deny that he financed terrorism.
Who Signed the Fergie Chambers Extradition Campaign?
The campaign, titled "Free Fergie Chambers," portrays Chambers as a philanthropist and human rights activist targeted for his support of Palestinians. Its published manifesto and signatory list includes actors Richard Gere, Natasha Lyonne, Cynthia Nixon, Hannah Einbinder and Morgan Spector. Musician Roger Waters, artist Nan Goldin, philosopher Judith Butler and activist Greta Thunberg have also signed, along with dozens of other cultural and political figures. The campaign is a reminder that celebrity activism on Israel and Palestinian causes runs in both directions; a number of prominent entertainment figures have taken pro-Israel public stances over the same period.
Two Spanish outlets independently named Gere among the signatories. Última Hora named Gere in its list of signatories, along with Greta Thunberg, Angela Davis, Roger Waters, Brian Eno, Cynthia Nixon, Carlos Bardem, Isabel Coixet and Juan Diego Botto. elDiario.es's coverage carried the same claim in its August 27 headline.
"We, the undersigned, denounce the grave injustice threatening Fergie," the campaign statement says. It calls the U.S. case "political persecution" and asks Spain to block the extradition and grant Chambers political asylum.
What Did Chambers' Money Actually Fund?
The campaign itself highlights Chambers' financial support for Palestinians rather than disputing that he sent money abroad. It says Chambers has contributed more than $1 million to humanitarian projects in Gaza, and that he has funded organizations and media outlets that support the Palestinian cause.
| Recipient | Amount | Source of figure |
|---|---|---|
| Sameer Project | $250,000 | Campaign statement |
| Zaynab Project | $100,000 | Campaign statement |
| Middle East Children's Alliance | $550,000 | Chambers' attorneys, via El País |
| Sameer Project | $370,000 | Chambers' attorneys, via El País |
| People's Health Movement | $300,000 | Chambers' attorneys, via El País |
| Ghassan Abu Sittah Children's Fund | $200,000 | Chambers' attorneys, via El País |
| Zaynab Project | $100,000 | Chambers' attorneys, via El País |
The campaign says the Sameer Project money helped finance a bakery providing free bread, a water desalination plant and a free medical clinic in Jabalia, while the Zaynab Project funding supported services for orphaned children in Gaza. El País reported the larger figures from Chambers' attorneys, which should be understood as claims from his own representatives rather than independently verified totals.
What Has Chambers Said About Hamas?
Chambers' own previous statements have attracted scrutiny separate from the campaign. Spanish outlets reported that Chambers wrote on X a week after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks: "No faction of the Palestinian resistance, Hamas or other, has done anything wrong." His partner, actress and producer Stella Schnabel, has said she did not remember that specific post, and categorically denied that Chambers had financed Hamas.
NH Journal reported that Chambers acknowledged participating in a Palestine Action protest. Palestine Action is a direct-action group that has targeted facilities belonging to Israeli defense company Elbit Systems. Chambers told an interviewer he had chained himself to a door.
Legal Process
U.S. authorities are pursuing a case theory that runs counter to the campaign's framing. The Guardian reported that Chambers is wanted for alleged financial support of Hamas and other offenses; because the underlying indictment remains sealed, the complete factual basis for the American case is not yet public.
Última Hora reported that the international arrest documentation includes allegations of money laundering, public disorder and conspiracy to commit public disorder, referring to transfers to organizations in Gaza that authorities believe may have ties to Hamas. NH Journal reported that if extradited, Chambers faces allegations including money laundering with intent to support terrorist organizations.
Chambers' attorney, prominent Spanish lawyer and former judge Baltasar Garzón, disputes the allegations. He told The Guardian the case was "very strange" and called the indictment weak and diffuse.
Spain's National Court is handling the judicial phase of the extradition case. If the court finds extradition admissible, Spain's Council of Ministers retains the final say, including whether to consider the case politically motivated under Spanish law.
Media Coverage
The campaign has drawn coverage in Spanish outlets, including elDiario.es and Último Hora, as well as international outlets such as The Guardian and NH Journal. As of this writing, the celebrity letter does not appear to have drawn significant coverage from major Israeli or American Jewish news organizations.
