The lawyer for a model who has accused Paolo Zampolli of drugging and raping her has vowed to pursue a civil lawsuit against him after the former presidential special envoy was ousted from President Donald Trump's administration.
Victoria Drake, a 33 year-old model and tech entrepreneur, accused Zampolli of sexually assaulting her at his Manhattan townhouse in 2023.
Zampolli has denied the allegations against him.
Drake's attorney told Newsweek: "We are aware that Mr. Zampolli has been removed from his position in the Trump administration. Our focus remains on advancing Ms. Drake’s case in court and pursuing accountability through the judicial process."
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Zampolli, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, was removed from his role as the administration’s special envoy for global partnerships this week following a bitter email dispute with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.
A U.S. official told Newsweek on Friday: "Paolo was notified yesterday that his status as an envoy has been terminated and he is no longer a government employee."
Newsweek has contacted Zampolli via social media for comment.
What Is Zampolli Accused Of?
According to the complaint, Drake alleges Zampolli sexually assaulted her at his Manhattan townhouse on October 7, 2023, after she accepted an invitation to a gathering. She claims she lost consciousness after being offered a drink and later briefly regained consciousness to find Zampolli sexually assaulting her.
Drake reported the incident to the NYPD the following day and underwent sexual assault examinations at a New York hospital, where bruising was documented on her left leg and hips, the complaint said.
Newsweek contacted the NYPD for comment on Friday.
Drake is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, alleging Zampolli engaged in unlawful gender-motivated violence under New York City law. She has requested a jury trial, with an initial conference scheduled for November 6.
Drake's complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on September 3.
How Has Zampolli Responded To The Rape Allegations?
Zampolli denies the allegations. The 56-year-old Italian-born businessman told Newsweek via email on Tuesday: "Sexual assault is an extremely serious matter, and anyone who has suffered abuse deserves compassion, dignity and justice. The allegations against me are false, and I categorically deny them.
"I reported to the FBI what I believe was an attempt to extort $650,000 from me. I will not try this case in the media, and I will not engage in personal attacks."
Zampolli, who has said he introduced Trump to the future first lady Melania Trump at a New York Fashion Week party he hosted in 1998, continued: "I have spent more than three decades working at the highest levels of the modeling industry. I am confident in my record, and more importantly, I am confident in the evidence.
"The truth will come out where it belongs: in court, under oath, with all the evidence presented. I welcome that process."
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Response To Zampolli's Extortion Allegations
When asked about Zampolli's extortion allegation, first reported by Substack PunchUp on Monday, Jesse Weinstein, an attorney for Drake, told Newsweek: "Mr. Zampolli has publicly threatened our client with a $100 million lawsuit and accused her of extortion, yet our process servers have repeatedly been unable to serve him with the lawsuit he is so eager to discuss publicly."
Weinstein added: "We have made multiple good faith attempts to effectuate service and will continue doing so. If Mr. Zampolli wants to contest Victoria’s allegations, the appropriate place to do that is in court, where both sides will be subject to the rules of evidence and the judicial process.
"Victoria reported the alleged assault to law enforcement immediately and underwent medical examinations the following day. She is prepared to pursue her claims and will not be intimidated by threats, political connections, or efforts to avoid having those claims heard."
Why Was Zampolli Fired?
Zampolli's departure came on Thursday October 15, the same day Politico published excerpts from nearly a year of correspondence between him and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. The emails revealed a growing dispute over Zampolli’s diplomatic activities, his authority to conduct foreign outreach and accusations that Landau was obstructing his work.
According to Politico’s reporting, Landau sought to restrict Zampolli’s work to cultural diplomacy, while Zampolli continued pursuing broader foreign contacts.
The disagreement escalated over several months, with the two men exchanging accusations over the limits of Zampolli’s authority and the handling of information that could damage his standing.
The publication of the correspondence brought the conflict into public view, although it does not, by itself, establish that the email feud directly caused Zampolli’s departure.
When asked to comment on his termination, Zampolli said in a statement, as reported by Politico: "Serving [President Donald Trump] and the United States has been the greatest honor of my life. I am deeply grateful to President Trump, Secretary Rubio and the entire team."
"Now it is time for the next chapter – back to business, building relationships and closing deals," he added.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Rebecca Flood and Tony Phillips.