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Naomi causes more controversy as she brings convicted con artist as her date to Cannes

Last updated at 13:14pm on 22.05.08

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Just weeks after her furore at Heathrow, Naomi Campbell is at the centre of controversy again, after bringing a convicted con artist as her date to Cannes.

The troubled supermodel, who turns 38 today, caused a stir when she arrived on the arm of Christophe Rocancourt at the premiere of Steven Soderbergh’s new movie Che.

Dressed in an innocent white gown, Naomi was on her best behaviour as she strutted down the red carpet, towering over Christophe.

Compared to Christophe’s colourful past, Naomi’s brushes with the law appear rather small.

Enlarge Naomi Campbell Christophe Rocancourt Cannes 2008

Here comes trouble: Naomi Campbell and convicted fraudster Christophe Rocancourt on the red carpet of Che at the Cannes Film Festival last night

The French-born imposter, 41, conned affluent investors out of hundred of thousands of pounds by using various aliases, even claiming he was a Gallic relative of the American society family Rockefeller.

Christophe claims he made 1million French francs in his youth through his various personas.

After moving to America at the age of 24, Christophe created society personas on both the east and west coast of the U.S., falsely claiming his “mother” was Sophia Loren and "uncles" were Oscar de la Renta and Dino de Laurentiis.

During his time in Hollywood, he befriended action star Jean-Claude Van Damme and lived with Mickey Rourke.

On his official website, born-again Christian Christophe insists he held Mickey in high regard, but their friendship deteriorated “without any financial conflict”.

Christophe Rocancourt

Christophe Rocancourt: Pictured after his arrest in 2003

In 2001, Christophe and his now ex-wife, former Playboy model Pia Reyes, were arrested in Canada and charged with defrauding an elderly couple. Pia was later released without charge after pleading her innocence with the scam.

The following year, Christophe was extradited to New York where he pled guilty to three of 11 different charges including theft, grand larceny, smuggling, bribery and perjury.

He was accused of defrauding a total of 19 people. He admitted three counts of fraud to avoid the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Christophe was fined $9million, and was ordered to pay back his victims $1.2million and sentenced to five years in prison.

After “finding God” in prison, Christophe insists he has learned from his mistakes and is currently in talks to make a Hollywood movie of his biography ‘I, Christophe Rocancourt: Orphan, Playboy and Convict.’

Streatham-born Naomi was banned from British Airways last month following allegations of a row over baggage, which police were called in to defuse.

Campbell's fiery temper is well-documented - eight years ago she pleaded guilty to assaulting her former assistant Georgina Galanis with a telephone in Canada in 1998.

Last year, Campbell was ordered to perform five days community service and attend anger management classes after she was found guilty of reckless assault against her maid Ana Scolavino.


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