James Cox Chambers Jr. (born c. 1985),[1] also known as Fergie Chambers, is an American philanthropist, communist political activist, convert to Islam, and heir in the Cox family, which derives its wealth from Cox Enterprises.[2]
Early life and education
Chambers is the son of James Cox Chambers and Lauren Hamilton; the Cox family controls Cox Enterprises.[3] He spent his childhood in Brooklyn, New York, primarily with his mother, as his parents divorced when he was two years old.[3][4][5] After attending Saint Ann's School, Chambers was admitted to Bard College, but dropped out before completing a degree.[4] He subsequently worked for a year at Manheim Auctions, a company owned by his family, as a management trainer.[4][3] Chambers owned a portion of Cox Enterprises until divesting from the company in 2023, resulting in a payout estimated by Rolling Stone of at least $250 million.[6]
Activism
Chambers has previously described himself as a Communist and has provided funding for leftist causes, including through paying legal fees for others.[1] In Massachusetts, he founded a group called the Berkshire Communists, which identifies itself as a "revolutionary Marxist-Leninist collective"; his title is general secretary.[7][8][3] Chambers also opened a gym called the Berkshire People's Gym which was closed to "landlords and capitalists", among others.[8] His property purchases in the Berkshires have been described as forming a "commune" by Mother Jones.[4] In Georgia, Chambers has provided financial support for members of the Stop Cop City movement.[4][9]
Chambers is a vocal supporter of Hamas; he described the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel as "a moment of hope and inspiration".[4][8] Chambers previously told Mother Jones in an interview that he believes "the most important thing for the prosperity of humanity is the destruction of the US".[4] He has also been supportive of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and visited Russian-occupied Donbas.[5]
Personal life
Chambers was first married to a Russian woman, Anya Vostrova, whom he met at Bard. They lived in Russia for some time after 2008, and have three children together.[4][5][6] Chambers and his second wife, Cameron Park, met in Atlanta after his return from Russia.[5] In 2013, Chambers was arrested for domestic battery and false imprisonment of Park, although he was not prosecuted; they divorced after 2020.[3][5][6] In February 2024, he married Stella Schnabel, daughter of filmmaker Julian Schnabel; they have a son together.[4][6]
Chambers is a practicing Muslim after converting to the faith in 2023 and currently resides in Tunis, Tunisia, where he is a sponsor of Club Africain.[10][6] Chambers previously lived in New Hampshire and the Berkshires region of Massachusetts.[1][11] His wealth is self-reported to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.[1]