Bad Brad and model linked to death plot

Published Nov 8, 2007

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A bizarre web of sex and jealousy has linked model Gina Athans and controversial Big Brother contestant Brad Wood to an alleged murder plot against a prominent South African businessman.

Wood has taped conversations he claims can prove that Athans' Jordanian billionaire husband, Eyhab Jumean, wanted former information technology tycoon and polo-playing playboy Leo Baxter dead.

This was because Jumean believed his wife and Baxter "overnighted" together in South Africa while he was overseas, Wood alleges.

However, the National Prosecuting Authority has refused to extradite Jumean for prosecution, saying "the behaviour of Wood "can certainly be typified as a 'trap'".

The state says Wood, who taped conversations he had with both men, used the affair claim to play Jumean and Baxter against each other "in a very emotional manner... in order to provoke them".

In the meantime, Baxter has denied, in an affidavit, that he had an extramarital affair with Athans, stressing that he only advised her about her marital problems.

Wood and Athans dated briefly before she met and later married Jumean in a lavish wedding attended by 1 000 guests, including rapper 50 Cent and singer Dannii Minogue.

The couple split within a year. Two months after their separation, Jumean was linked with socialite Paris Hilton.

Wood's tapes, which Baxter has confirmed listening to, went missing soon after he handed them to the Pretoria Serious and Violent Crime Unit. But The Star has established that the state was given access to transcripts of conversations that Jumean had taped between himself and Wood.

Baxter said he became aware he was in danger after receiving a call from Wood, in which he claimed "he had been informed by Gina that my life was in danger".

Baxter said Wood played him a number of telephone conversations he had recorded with Eyhab and at least one conversation with Athans "which horrified me enormously".

The "death plot" details emerged after slain mining tycoon Brett Kebble's former security head, Clint Nassif, suggested that Wood tried to blackmail Jumean over alleged sex tapes taken of Athans, prompting Jumean to seek help from Glenn Agliotti.

The Star has also confirmed that, in the past few weeks, police questioned Wood over these claims, made in an unsigned affidavit given to the Directorate of Special Operations (also known as the Scorpions).

Through his attorney Ian Levitt, Wood yesterday admitted that while he had taped several of his sexual conquests, Athans - who recently acted alongside James Bond star Daniel Craig - was not among them,

Nassif told the Scorpions that he, National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi and Agliotti had met to discuss an "Ayab Humen"(sic) who was being blackmailed for £50 000 by Wood, who allegedly had had sex with Athans.

Nassif added that "(Jumean) was scared for his life so I requested Glenn (Agliotti) to arrange the meeting with Selebi to see if he could assist."

While the outcome of this meeting was not detailed in Nassif's affidavit, Wood is adamant that it resulted in Selebi orchestrating his 2005 dismissal as a police reservist.

Selebi's spokesperson, Director Sally de Beer, on Wednesday dismissed these claims.

"The national commissioner played no role in Mr Wood's dismissal as a police reservist. At the time, I doubt he had even heard of Mr Wood," she said.

Athans' spokesperson Andrew Farr has declined to comment on Nassif's claims.

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