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The Manhattan Matchmaker: How Paolo Zampolli's Network Launched Melania, Sparked Controversy

In the mid-1990s, the bustling New York fashion scene was shaped by figures like Paolo Zampolli, an Italian model-management founder whose social network became an unexpected bridge to political power. Zampolli’s role as the agent who discovered, sponsored, and ultimately introduced Melania Knauss to Donald Trump remains a crucial, yet complex, footnote in the former First Lady's story.  
The Visa and the Vaulting Career
Zampolli, who co-owned Metropolitan Models and later founded ID Model Management, first spotted Knauss in Milan in 1995. Recognizing her potential, he urged her to move to New York, and in 1996, he secured her a sponsored H-1B work visa, enabling her to begin her modeling career in the U.S.  
However, Knauss's immigration status later became a subject of scrutiny. Documents surfaced suggesting Knauss was paid for modeling assignments—earning over $20,000—in the seven weeks before her H-1B work visa was officially issued. While Zampolli confirmed his firm’s contracts, he maintained that he did not recall Knauss working illegally and that she was merely building her portfolio. Knauss has always asserted full compliance with immigration laws.  
The Introduction and the Contested Social Circle
Zampolli is firmly credited with the most consequential introduction of Knauss's life. He brought the Slovenian model to a party he hosted at the Kit Kat Club in September 1998, where she met real estate mogul Donald Trump. Zampolli was already a close social and business associate of Trump, serving at one point as the Director of International Development for the Trump Organization.  
Beyond the Trump connection, Zampolli's network featured other controversial figures:
Ghislaine Maxwell: Zampolli once partnered with Maxwell on a charity dedicated to ocean conservation.  
Jeffrey Epstein: Photos from a social event in 2000 show Donald Trump, Melania Knauss, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell together. While Trump biographer Michael Wolff claimed Zampolli was the connector that linked Melania to Epstein’s circle, those specific claims have been heavily disputed. Melania Trump has consistently and forcefully denied any association with Epstein's criminal activities.  
Ultimately, Zampolli’s influence launched Melania Knauss’s career on American soil, introduced her to her future husband, and placed her at the periphery of one of New York's most scrutinized social networks.  

Reported by 
Harp on the Truth

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