The SPY who duped Rose McGowan UNMASKED! This is the blonde Israeli military veteran who worked undercover for disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein and tricked the actress into sharing her memoirsby Alana Goodman For Dailymail.com
18:49 EST, 8 November 2017 | UPDATED: 14:17 EST, 9 November 2017
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Stella Penn, an operative at Israeli intelligence firm Black Cube bluffed her way into meetings with Rose McGowan and journalists
The 30-something Israeli vet claimed to be working on women’s rights advocacy and reportedly asked McGowan to speak at an upcoming event
She used aliases ‘Diana Filip’ and ‘Anna’
She is a former member of the Israel Defense Forces and lives in Jaffa, Israel Penn, who was recently married, also goes by the name Stella Penn Pechanac, multiple sources told DailyMail.com
Weinstein hired the ex-Mossad agents to prove he was the victim of a 'negative campaign' in what was dubbed 'Operation Parachute'
Black Cube is run by former Israeli intelligence officers of Mossad
The pretty blonde spy who duped Rose McGowan into meeting privately with her while working undercover for Harvey Weinstein is a 30-something-year-old Israeli military veteran named Stella Penn, the DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.
The operative at Israeli intelligence firm Black Cube – who bluffed her way into meetings with Rose McGowan and journalists while using the aliases ‘Diana Filip’ and ‘Anna’ -– is a former member of the Israel Defense Forces and lives in Jaffa, Israel.
Penn, who was recently married, also goes by the name Stella Penn Pechanac, multiple sources told DailyMail.com.
The blonde spy duped McGowan into meeting with her and even managed to obtain a copy of the actress’s unpublished memoir this year, after telling the actress she was a women’s rights advocate from London.Penn claimed she worked for a London-based investment company called Rueben Capital Partners.
In reality, Penn worked for the Israel-based intelligence firm Black Cube, which had been hired by Harvey Weinstein to investigate numerous women who had accused him of sexual harassment and other perceived enemies.
The pretty blonde spy who duped Rose McGowan into meeting privately with her while working undercover for Harvey Weinstein is a 30-something-year-old Israeli military veteran named Stella Penn, the DailyMail.com can exclusively revealHarvey Weinstein agreed to pay up to $1.3m to Black Cube, an Israeli intelligence firmThe company was tasked with collecting information on numerous women, including McGowan.
The firm also worked to obtain a copy of McGowan’s unpublished memoir, to determine if the actress was going to go public with her sexual assault accusations against Weinstein.
McGowan first met with ‘Diana’ after the two were introduced by a literary agent last May, the New Yorker first reported this week.The Black Cube operative claimed to be working on women’s rights advocacy and reportedly asked McGowan to speak at an upcoming event she was organizing. Penn and McGowan met in person on several occasions in New York and California, and even spent time on the Venice boardwalk, according to the New Yorker.
Penn pressed McGowan for information about her allegations against Weinstein, and eventually managed to obtain a copy of the actress’s unpublished book.
The operative even kept up the ruse after the New Yorker published explosive allegations against Weinstein last month, revealing that he had been accused of sexual harassment and rape by numerous actresses and female employees over the years.
‘Diana’ wrote an email to McGowan after the story was published, praising the actress for her courage.
‘Hi Love,’ she wrote. ‘How are you feeling? . . . Just wanted to tell you how brave I think you are.’
McGowan was reportedly shocked when she was later told by the New Yorker that ‘Diana’ was actually an undercover investigator working for Black Cube.Weinstein hired Israeli firm Black Cube on October 24, 2016, to carry out the covert operation, known internally as 'Operation Parachute' by operatives that included ex-Mossad agents‘Oh my God,’ she told the New Yorker. ‘Reuben Capital. Diana Filip. No fucking way.’
Penn, using the alias ‘Anna,’ also met with New York reporter Ben Wallace earlier this year while he was working on a story about Weinstein.
The Black Cube operative implied to Wallace that she wanted to discuss allegations against Weinstein. But the reporter said she seemed to be pressing him for information on his upcoming article while revealing very few details about herself.
According to a biography of her posted online, Penn is involved in an educational advocacy group in Israel called Recalculating the Educational Route.
The biography says she moved to Israel in 1994 from Yugoslavia. She served as a Lieutenant in the Israeli Air Force and has worked on Jewish advocacy campaigns in the U.S. and Australia.
She speaks four languages –- English, Hebrew, Serbo-Croatian, and conversational Spanish.
Penn is also an actress. She graduated from the theater arts program at Nissan Nativ Acting Studio in 2010, according to her biography.Weinstein agreed to pay Black Cube up to $1.3 million for its investigative work, according to his October 24, 2016 contract with the firm exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com.
The covert operation, known internally as ‘Operation Parachute,’ targeted at least 10 women, fashion designer Kenneth Cole, and a prominent AIDS charity, the DailyMail.com has learned.Weinstein's work with Black Cube was first reported by the New Yorker on Monday, which published a July contract showing that the firm deployed undercover agents to obtain information from Weinstein's sexual assault accusers and journalists.
The initial October contract between Weinstein and Black Cube last fall shows that Weinstein was fixated on the idea that he was the victim of a 'negative campaign' orchestrated by his enemies -– and he was willing to go to great lengths to stop it.
Harvey Weinstein's original contract with Israeli intelligence firm Black Cube, in October 2016 reveals that Weinstein agreed to pay the company as much as $1.3 million to spy on his perceived enemies -– including close friend and amfAR chairman Kenneth Cole (pictured)This Letter of Engagement supersedes all prior agreements, written or otherwise, between the parties (including, in particular, the Letter of Engagement, dated October 24, 2014, between Black Cube and the Firm, acting on behalf of the Client (hereinafter “the Original LoE”) and the Client, whether written, oral or otherwise) and Black Cube acknowledges and agrees that it is not and will not be entitled to any fees (whether success fees or otherwise, whether pursuant paragraphs 16 through 18 of the Original LoE or otherwise) or costs under the Original LoE.
-- Letter of Engagement Between Black Cube and Boies, Schiller & Flexner dated July 11, 2017
BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL
BLACK CUBE
Boies Schiller & Flexner LLP
575 Lexington Avenue, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10022
USA
24 October 2016
Letter of Engagement
1. This Letter of Engagement sets out the terms whereby Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP ( “the Firm”) is engaging B.C. Strategy UK Ltd., a limited company incorporated in England and Wales (registered number: 0815397, hereinafter “Black Cube”), on behalf of a client, (hereafter “the Client”). This letter explains the research process and scope of the litigation support services to be provided to the Client, and attached to it you will find our Terms and Conditions, which shall be considered as a part of this letter.
General
2. B.C. Strategy UK Ltd is a business intelligence and strategic consultancy firm based in London, Tel-Aviv and Paris. The company, owner of the Black Cube brand in Israel, USA, UK, European Union, Hong Kong, Australia and other countries, specializes in finding tailored solutions to business challenges by gathering high quality intelligence and providing its clients strategic consultancy and guidance. The firm specializes in delivering end-to-end research into corporations, individuals and product markets.
3. Black Cube is a select group of veterans of elite units in the Israeli intelligence community, combined with financial and legal experts. Our team comes from a well-established intelligence background in the fields of information gathering, analysis and research, as well as various legal and financial backgrounds and field operations. The team’s unique background, together with the cutting-edge methodology developed by Black Cube, was the reason we were retained to untangle complex business environments and legal cases for many multi-national clients. Black Cube regularly supplies services for a variety of international corporate and law firms.
4. Black Cube is willing to provide business intelligence services to the Client in accordance with the work plan suggested below, and hereby warrants that all information collected during the project and all other action taken or directed by Black Cube will be obtained in confidence and by legal means and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. In accordance, all operations are subject to the law in all relevant jurisdictions.
5. All of Black Cube’s operational methodologies have been approved by K&L Gates, BCL Burton Copeland and Gross, Kleinhandler, Hodak and Co. (top-tier law firms in the US, UK and Israel respectively).
6. Furthermore, Black Cube seeks advice and guidance from top tier law firms in any other jurisdiction in which we operate, in order to ensure full compliance to local laws and regulations, specifically with regard to privacy and data protection.
Objectives
7. The primary objective of the project is to identify the entities behind the negative campaign against the Client (hereinafter – “the Campaign”), and support the Client’s efforts to put a stop to it.
8. Of course, any other specific request or requirement from the Client will be taken into consideration.
The Research Team
9. For the Duration of the project, Black Cube will allocate a dedicated team of expert intelligence officers that will operate in the USA and any other necessary country:
a) A project manager with specific experience in managing similar business intelligence projects. The project manager will be in charge of building the research plan, managing the team, allocating resources, scheduling, and presenting results to the Client.
b) Intelligence analysts – experts in web-based data gathering and database access, social networks and pattern analysis.
c) Avatar Operators – experts in relevant media analysis and relations, in all available social networks.
d) Linguists – for all relevant languages including English.
e) Operations experts with extensive experience in social engineering.
f) In house legal advisor – for advice on the legality of collection methods and operations; focusing on privacy, data protection and database access.
10. The team is supported by our board of directors and advisors – businessmen in key positions in Israel and abroad and former heads of the Israeli intelligence forces, all of whom contribute from their vast experience and worldwide connections.
Schedule and Fees
11. The final report will be provided within two months from signature of letter of engagement. However, due to the urgency of the project, Black Cube will utilize its Blitz methodology in order to allocate additional resources in the beginning of the project.
12. Regular updates, delivered in face to face meetings with the firm and client along with written status reports, will be given to the Firm and Client to present findings and discuss further directions.
13. Relevant information will be provided to the Firm and Client as it becomes available.
14. The price for this project per months will be 100,000 USD ($200,000 USD in total), inclusive of all costs (i.e. databases and software licenses, flights, travel, computers and special accessories, and out of pocket expenses). The Client will not bear any additional expenses unless agreed upon in advance. The Client has the option to terminate the engagement after the first month if it is not satisfied with the results produced thus far with no obligation to pay the second month’s fee.
15. The first monthly payment be due upon the signing of the letter of engagement, and the second monthly payment will be due 30 days after the signing of the letter of engagement.
16. In the event in which the Client uses the intelligence provided by Black Cube, in a litigation, in a different juridical process, in the media or in presentation to authorities, Black Cube will be paid a success fee of 100,000 USD.
17. Additionally, in the event Black Cube succeeds in achieving the objective, including putting a stop to the negative campaign, Black Cube will be paid an additional success fee of 200,000 USD.
18. Furthermore, in the event in which Black Cube discovers that there was a concerted effort on the part of an individual or entity behind the negative campaign (e.g. a business competitor) that was not otherwise known to the Client and which resulted from activities beyond the normal scope of the objective and work contemplated in this engagement, Black Cube will be paid an additional success fee of 300,000 USD.
19. The payment of the success fee will be independent from, and in addition to, any other fee paid according to this agreement.
20. VAT will be added, only if necessary, according to English law.
21. We agree that Black Cube will solely look to the Client and not the Firm for payment of any amounts due under this engagement and shall hold the firm harmless from any costs arising out of this engagement.
We are looking forward to working with you on this opportunity. I firmly believe that Black Cube’s high-level intelligence capabilities will enable us to deliver to you the desired results of this case.
With kind regards,
Dr. Avi Yanus, Director
Encl.
I agree to the terms of this letter and the BC Strategy UK Ltd. Terms and Conditions on behalf of the
Client:
Name: Amy Habie
Signed: Amy Habie
Date: 10/27/16
Actress Rose McGowan (left), who has made allegations of rape against Weinstein, and Thomas Ajamie (right), a financial fraud attorney who had been hired by amfAR to examine a suspicious financial transaction involving Weinstein, both were investigated by Black CubeHarvey Weinstein's original contract with an Israeli intelligence firm, published exclusively here, reveals that the disgraced movie executive agreed to pay the company as much as $1.3 million to spy on his perceived enemies – including numerous actresses, fashion designer Kenneth Cole and a prominent AIDS charity.
This Letter of Engagement supersedes all prior agreements, written or otherwise, between the parties (including, in particular, the Letter of Engagement, dated October 24, 2014, between Black Cube and the Firm, acting on behalf of the Client (hereinafter “the Original LoE”) and the Client, whether written, oral or otherwise) and Black Cube acknowledges and agrees that it is not and will not be entitled to any fees (whether success fees or otherwise, whether pursuant paragraphs 16 through 18 of the Original LoE or otherwise) or costs under the Original LoE.
-- Letter of Engagement Between Black Cube and Boies, Schiller & Flexner dated July 11, 2017
Black Cube was first hired to 'identify the entities behind the negative campaign against [Weinstein]' and 'support [Weinstein's] efforts to put a stop to it,' according to the initial contract.
The investigation targeted actresses who accused Weinstein of sexual assault, but it also extended to Weinstein's supposed friends and allies.
A source familiar with the operation said Black Cube was asked to investigate Weinstein's long-time friend Kenneth Cole and the Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), a charity where Weinstein was a donor. Cole is amfAR's chairman.
Black Cube was also asked to look into Thomas Ajamie, a financial fraud attorney who had been hired by amfAR to examine a suspicious financial transaction involving Weinstein.Another target was Commentary magazine editor John Podhoretz, who had posted a comment on Twitter in 2015 about Weinstein's rumored assault victims.
Actresses Sophie Dix and Katherine Kendall were also subjects of interest, according to the source.
Ajamie told DailyMail.com that he was not surprised he was on Black Cube's list and believed he was targeted because he had been hired by the amfAR board to investigate an unusual financial deal Weinstein had with the charity in 2015.
The transaction, which is currently under investigation by the Department of Justice, involved transferring profits from an amfAR auction to a theater project that Weinstein had invested in. The elaborate planning that went into the operation involved the crafting of a fake website for Reuben Partners, with a section devoted to 'Women In Focus' (above)The fake firm of Reuben Partners also had an office building listed on its website (seen above in Google street view)Ajamie's investigation found that Weinstein's financial deal 'exposed amfAR to material risks to its financial integrity and reputation.' In the process, Ajamie also discovered some of the sexual assault allegations against Weinstein.
'I knew that Weinstein and his lawyers had hired private investigators, and his lawyers were investigating me and trying to harass me,' said Ajamie.
He said he recalled run-ins with individuals he believed may have been working for private investigators. Over the past year, he said several strangers showed up at his law office claiming they had scheduled meetings with him or stopped by his apartment unannounced.A spokesperson for amfAR declined to comment on Weinstein's spy operation.
'As has been widely reported, the Department of Justice is conducting an ongoing criminal investigation into certain transactions carried out by Mr. Weinstein,' said the spokesperson.
'In our continued effort to cooperate with this investigation we are unable to comment at this time. amfAR remains committed to pursuing its charitable mission of finding a cure for the over 30 million people living with HIV and AIDS.'
The initial October contract reveals that Weinstein promised to pay Black Cube $200,000 for two months of work -– plus up to $600,000 in bonuses if the firm went above and beyond the scope of its assignment.
Another target was Commentary magazine editor John Podhoretz (pictured) who had posted a comment on Twitter in 2015 about Weinstein's rumored assault victimsActresses Katherine Kendall (left) and Sophie Dix (right) were also subjects of interest to the intelligence firm, a source told DailyMail.com The cost included 'databases and software licenses, flights, travel, computers and special accessories, and out of pocket expenses.'
Black Cube would also be paid an additional $100,000 if Weinstein used the information it collected in lawsuits, pitched it to the media or gave it to law enforcement.
The contract also included an additional $300,000 payment to Black Cube if the firm uncovered previously unknown individuals who were involved in the 'negative campaign' against Weinstein. It also stipulated a $200,000 'success fee.'
'In the event Black Cube succeeds in achieving the objective, including putting a stop to the negative campaign, Black Cube will be paid an additional success fee of 200,000 USD,' said the contract.
The document described Black Cube as 'a select group of veterans of elite units in the Israeli intelligence community, combined with financial and legal experts' based in London, Tel-Aviv and Paris.
The October contract was signed by Amy Habie, the chief financial officer at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP, the law firm Weinstein used to retain Black Cube. It was also signed by Black Cube's director Avi Yanus.
Elizabeth Avellan with ex-Robert Rodriguez, who left her to begin a relationship with McGowan, says a reporter contacted her and pressed her for dirt on McGowan Weinstein had the agencies compile psychological profiles on dozens of targets such as Rosanna Arquette (left) while Pamela Lubell (right) was allegedly tricked into revealing a list of her old colleagues, then forced her to call them to see who had spoken to the pressIn a subsequent contract in July, published on Monday by the New Yorker, Weinstein agreed to pay the firm another $200,000 for four months of investigative work, and up to $350,000 in potential bonuses.
Despite the relative success of the operation, sources said Weinstein and Black Cube ended up in a dispute over payments, which was the reason for the second contract in July.
During 'Operation Parachute,' Black Cube operatives managed to obtain several meetings with targeted journalists and actresses.
One undercover female operative working for Black Cube met with actress Rose McGowan and her agent in May 2017 in Los Angeles, according to the New Yorker.
DailyMail.com learned the operative is a blonde woman in her 30s from Jaffa, Israel, who previously worked for the Israel Defense Forces.
During the meetings, they discussed an unpublished memoir McGowan had written called Brave, which referenced Weinstein. The operative was able to obtain a full copy of the book.
The Black Cube investigation – known as 'Operation Parachute' – was led carried out by the firm's London office, according to a source familiar with the effort.
Black Cube founders Avi Yanos and Dan Zorella – a former member of the Israeli Intelligence Corps – were also involved in the project.
Insiders said the spy firm's London office went into panic mode on Monday and initially tried to destroy documents related to the Weinstein deal before their law firm Peters & Peters advised against it.