Fallen fashion designer Anand Jon - who is being held on $1.3 million bail in a Los Angeles jail on multiple charges of sexual assault - cultivated his celebrity image by always going out with an entourage and showing people his press clippings.
According to sources who spent time with Jon over the past few years, “He runs his life like a cult. He has four people following him around at all times, including a publicist, a photographer, and his assistant, who is his sister.”
The source added that before Jon was arrested March 13 on 20 counts of assault - including two counts of rape - “he always had young girls around. They may have been over 18, but they didn’t look it.”
One of Jon’s former publicists, Chris Hulbert, who long ago distanced himself from the accused assailant, told Page Six that a few years ago the down-and-out designer advanced on Hulbert’s 19-year-old date at a Manhattan club.
“He put his hand around her neck and said ‘You have a very comfortable neck, would you like to have sex with me?’ She was really creeped out.”
Page Six’s source said Jon would lure girls with promises of fame, world travel and glamour. “He would carry around a press book with all his clippings and show it to people at parties,” said one former friend.
“He shows these girls books about himself. and they . . . get wrapped up in his smoke and mirrors. He reels girls . . . into situations by asking them to come along with him and his crew.”
Jon has dressed celebrities like Paris Hilton, Paula Abdul and Michelle Rodriguez, and would frequent celeb-filled parties in the Hamptons as well as downtown clubs.
“He will tell girls, ‘I can take you places,’ and the girls see the photographers following him around, and they would believe him because he was friends with Paris. But they were totally duped.”
Jon’s attorney, Ronald Richards, told Page Six, “All up-and-coming celebrities try to promote themselves. It’s not inconsistent with other young up-and-coming celebs to self-promote.”
(via page six)