Jamila M’Barek: From Playboy model to murderer

Rumors and scandals constantly swirl around the world of the rich and famous, and few stories are as shocking as that of Jamila M’Barek, former Playboy model and wife of the 10th Earl of Shaftesbury, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, one of the richest men in Britain. But how did it come about that Jamila M’Barek had her wealthy husband killed by her own brother? The life story of Jamila Ashley-Cooper, née M’Barek, is a fascinating, albeit tragic, chapter in the history of British aristocratic families. Born in Lens, France, in 1961 to a Tunisian mother and Moroccan father, Jamila grew up in a multicultural household. Her father was a violent alcoholic whose behavior terrorized the family. When she was only six years old, her mother fled with Jamila and her six siblings to Nabeul, Tunisia, to escape the abuse. At the age of 17, Jamila finally ended up in Saint-Tropez. Here she began her career as a model, which reached its peak when she posed for Playboy magazine in 1993. At the same time, she worked as an escort and in 2000 married Dutch businessman Raf Schouten, with whom she had two children. After their divorce, her ex-husband moved in with his mother and the children. Jamila then returned to working as an escort, hoping that her job would enable her to snag a wealthy man like in the movie “Pretty Woman,” which she ultimately succeeded in doing. In 2001, Jamila, who called herself Sarah, met and fell in love with the filthy rich Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 10th Earl of Shaftesbury, through the mediation of her madam Catherine Gurtler. Her relationship with the twice-divorced Earl began unconventionally. But the Earl quickly fell in love with the glamorous woman, who ultimately proved to be his undoing. They married on November 5, 2002, in Hilversum, Netherlands, and Jamila became the Countess of Shaftesbury. But the happiness in their marriage did not last long. The marriage was stormy from the start and ended in a public war of the roses. Before the divorce was final, there were rumors that Lord Shaftesbury was having an affair with a club hostess named Nadia Orchre. Shaftesbury, who enjoyed alcohol and drugs, was planning his third marriage. He wanted to finally break the financial ties to Jamila with a divorce. In April 2004, during an argument, a fatal incident occurred in which Mohammed M’Barek, Jamila’s brother, allegedly strangled his brother-in-law. Mohammed suffocated Shaftesbury, and the body was loaded into the trunk of his BMW, with Jamila’s help. The events that followed were as dramatic as they were tragic. Jamila, who was in a psychiatric hospital where she suffered a nervous breakdown, began to talk about her role in the incident. She explained that she was not directly involved in the murder, but that her brother had killed the Earl during an argument. Despite her statements, investigators managed to gather enough evidence to charge both Jamila and Mohammed with murder. The circumstances of the murder were shocking. Anthony Ashley-Cooper’s body was discovered months later in a remote area near Cannes. Jamila and her brother Mohammed were arrested shortly thereafter, and in an emotionally cold twist, Jamila confessed in a secretly recorded phone conversation with her sister Naima that she had paid her brother to kill her husband. In fact, one week before her husband’s disappearance, Jamila had transferred €150,000 to her brother’s bank account, who allegedly wanted to buy a house for their sick mother with the money. This proved that Jamila had ordered the murder of her own husband. On May 22, 2007, the spectacular trial of Jamila and her brother Mohammed for the murder of Anthony Ashley Cooper began at the Palace of Justice in Nice, making international headlines. The evidence was overwhelming. In addition to the phone call and the bank transfer, GPS tracking of Jamila’s cell phones proved that she was near the scene of the crime, which further strengthened the prosecution’s case. Jamila and her brother were found guilty of murder. Both were sentenced to 25 years in prison. On February 4, 2009, Jamila appealed the verdict. Her sentence was reduced to 20 years. In 2016, Jamila M’Barek was released from prison and found herself back in a world she had never completely left: the spotlight. According to reports, she lived in Zurich until recently and worked for a cosmetics company. To this day, Jamila not only uses the title “Dowager Countess of Shaftesbury,” but through her interviews and her own view of things, she has established herself as a scandal-ridden figure. Life has led her into dark abysses and brought her back into the light, but one thing remains certain: the story of Jamila M’Barek will continue to captivate audiences because she is not just a murderer. She is a symbol of the dark side of high society. Jamila’s life story reflects social issues such as poverty, abuse, and the search for a better life. Instead, her dream of prosperity and security ended in a nightmare that brought both her and her family into disrepute. Jamila remains a controversial figure in society. Some see her as a victim of her circumstances, while others emphasize her moral responsibility for her actions. Jamila Ashley-Cooper is more than just the Countess of Shaftesbury—she represents the dark side of the aristocracy, the challenges faced by women in difficult circumstances, and the tragedy that can result from desperate decisions.