Stella Schnabel, wife of US heir and activist James "Fergie" Chambers, has spoken out against his extradition to the United States, calling the case "incredible." Chambers was arrested in Ibiza, Spain, on February 7, 2025, at the request of the US Department of Justice, which accuses him of financially supporting Hamas. Schnabel, an actor and daughter of painter Julian Schnabel, described the arrest as a politically motivated attack by the Trump administration.
Arrest on Family Vacation
Chambers, 41, was detained last Friday while driving with Schnabel and their five-year-old son to visit a potential school in Ibiza. Seven police officers cut off their vehicle and handcuffed Chambers in less than five minutes. Schnabel said she was unable to film the arrest. Chambers has been transferred to a prison in Madrid, where he remains in custody.
Legal Timeline and Political Context
Spain's high court has two weeks to decide on Chambers's bail appeal and 40 days to rule on the US extradition request. If denied, the case closes; if granted, Spain's council of ministers has the final say. The indictment against Chambers is sealed. This is the first known case of the US seeking extradition of a citizen over alleged Hamas support, according to attorney Stanley Cohen. The case unfolds as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio convened 66 countries, including Spain, to discredit leftwing activism as terrorism. Chambers's attorney Josep Riba expressed concern that Spain's participation may influence Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to comply with the US request, despite Sánchez's previous solidarity with Palestinians.
Chambers's Activism and Wealth
Chambers, heir to the Cox Communications fortune, sold stock worth about $250 million in mid-2023. Since then, he has funded approximately 100 projects in 20 countries, Schnabel said. These include a $250,000 donation to the Sameer Project in Gaza, which supported a bakery producing thousands of free bread loaves daily during Israel's siege; a free medical clinic in Gaza; and a $100,000 grant to the Zaynab Project for mental health support for orphaned children. He also paid legal fees for some members of the group formerly known as Palestine Action in the US, which the UK designates as a terrorist organization.
US Allegations and Defense
The US accuses Chambers of laundering $7.5 million wired from an American bank account to Tunisia, allegedly to support Hamas. Schnabel, who has seen part of the indictment, said the funds were used to purchase the football club Club Africain, pay off debt and salaries, rebuild a training center, and build youth football fields. The club won the Tunisian football league in May. "It makes millions of people happy," Schnabel said. She noted that Tunisians in prison in Madrid recognized Chambers and voiced support, calling him a national hero.
Support from Spanish Groups
Thirteen Spanish political organizations and five members of Spain's congress sent a letter to two ministers opposing Chambers's extradition. The letter cites Spanish law allowing rejection of extradition if the petition aims to persecute someone for political opinions. It demands full US documentation demonstrating concrete criminal conduct distinct from political activism or humanitarian donations. Schnabel, now living in Ireland with Chambers, has assembled a legal team led by Baltasar Garzón, the former Spanish judge known for seeking the extradition of Augusto Pinochet. "I feel supported at a high level," she said. "It's incredible that this can happen to someone who is supporting people trying to exist and survive colonization and ethnic cleansing."
