James Cox Chambers Jr. (born c. 1985),[1] also known as Fergie Chambers, is an American heir and political activist. He is a member of the Cox family, which derives its wealth from Cox Enterprises.
Early life and education
editChambers is the son of James Cox Chambers and Lauren Hamilton; the Cox family controls Cox Enterprises. He spent his childhood in Brooklyn, New York, primarily with his mother, as his parents divorced when he was two years old.[2][3] After attending Saint Ann's School, Chambers was admitted to Bard College, but dropped out before completing a degree.[2] He subsequently worked for a year at Manheim Auctions, a company owned by his family, as a management trainer.[2] 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.[4]
Activism
editCox describes himself as a Communist and has provided funding for far-left causes and activists, such as 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.[5][6] Chambers also opened a gym called the Berkshire People's Gym which was closed to "landlords and capitalists", among others.[6] His property purchases in the Berkshires have been described as forming a "commune" by Mother Jones.[2] In Georgia, Chambers has provided financial support for members of the Stop Cop City movement.[2][7]
Chambers is a supporter of Hamas; he described the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel as "a moment of hope and inspiration".[2][6] 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".[2] He has also been supportive of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and visited Russian-occupied Donbas.[3]
Personal life
editChambers 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.[2][3][4] Chambers and his second wife, Cameron Park, met in Atlanta after his return from Russia.[3] In 2013, Chambers was arrested for domestic battery and false imprisonment of Park, although he was not prosecuted; they divorced after 2020.[3][4] In February 2024, he married Stella Schnabel, daughter of filmmaker Julian Schnabel; they have a son together.[2][4]
Chambers is a practicing Muslim and currently resides in Tunis, Tunisia.[4] Chambers previously lived in New Hampshire and the Berkshires region of Massachusetts.[1][8] 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.