Nigella Lawson Faces Explosive Drug Abuse Accusations During Embezzlement Hearing in London
Nigella Lawson is facing shocking claims that she abused numerous drugs on a daily basis for more than a decade.
Lawson was in court for a pre-trial hearing in London on Tuesday after she accused two former assistants of defrauding her and her ex-husband Charles Saatchi out of more than 300,000 British pounds ($484,600) while they were employed by them.
The drug abuse accusations were made by Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, who were former kitchen assistants employed by the celebrity chef, and stated that Lawson used cocaine, marijuana and prescription pills for more than a decade, according to reports by The Daily Telegraph.
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The sisters have maintained their innocence and revealed that they were authorized by Lawson to use Saatchi's company credit card with the understanding that they were not to reveal her drug use.
"In a nutshell, we submit that she had a guilty secret from her husband, her then-husband," Anthony Metzer, a lawyer for Elisabetta Grillo, told Isleworth Crown Court, "She did not want him to know of her use of cocaine and that is highly relevant to the defense case."
Lawson's lawyer, Jane Carpenter, insisted that the claims are completely false and that the accusations are just now being made despite the sisters being arrested more than a year ago.
Lawson and her ex-husband made headlines earlier this year when a photograph of Saatchi grabbing the throat of Lawson at an upscale eatery made the front pages of publications around the world.
"It was utterly shocking to watch," one eyewitness told the Daily Mirror at the time. "I have no doubt she was scared. It was horrific, really. She was very tearful and constantly dabbing her eyes."
He allegedly put his hands around her neck four times and squeezed, causing her to tear up. Sources stated that soon after the incident Lawson moved out of the house they shared.
Lawson and her ex-husband made headlines earlier this year when a photograph of Saatchi grabbing the throat of Lawson at an upscale eatery made the front pages of publications around the world.
"It was utterly shocking to watch," one eyewitness told the Daily Mirror at the time. "I have no doubt she was scared. It was horrific, really. She was very tearful and constantly dabbing her eyes."
He allegedly put his hands around her neck four times and squeezed, causing her to tear up. Sources stated that soon after the incident Lawson moved out of the house they shared.
