Name Evelyn Knight | Residence Florida, United States | |
Full Name Evelyn Dawn Knight Spouse(s) Mel Weinberg(1982-1998; divorced) | ||
Evelyn knight a little bird told me 1949
Evelyn Dawn Knight (born November 5, 1942) is an English woman known for her involvement in the Abscam sting operation of the 1970s, with her ex-husband Mel Weinberg. A character inspired by her was portrayed on film by Amy Adams in American Hustle (2013) for which Adams was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. The story of Abscam was depicted as well in the 1981 book The Sting Man by Robert Greene.
Contents
- Evelyn knight a little bird told me 1949
- Lucky Lucky Lucky Me 1950 Evelyn Knight and The Ray Charles Singers
- Personal life
- Abscam
- Later life
- Portrayals in the media
- References
Lucky, Lucky, Lucky Me (1950) - Evelyn Knight and The Ray Charles Singers
Personal life
Knight was born in Watford, the daughter of Ethel (née Wilson) and Sidney Knight. Her father was the manager of a crumpet factory.
Knight immigrated to the United States in 1967 when she was in her late 20s. At a party on Long Island that was sponsored by the British government, she met Mel Weinberg, a Jewish businessman who is seventeen years her senior, and the two began a long love affair. Weinberg was married to his second wife, Marie at the time. His wife Marie committed suicide in 1982, at age 58. Marie had confronted Knight about their affair, after she learned that Knight was living nearby in a house being paid for by her husband. Soon after Marie's death, Knight and Weinberg married.
Abscam
Her husband Mel began involving Evelyn in his cons, using her as a ploy to conduct business. He would introduce her as Lady Evelyn Knight, one of the world's richest women. The two were arrested in 1977 on charges of fraud and conspiracy. They then made a plea-deal with the FBI to help them in the investigation of Abscam, and in return their charges would be dropped for probation.
Later life
Knight kept out of the spotlight once the Abscam era ended, and moved to Florida with her husband Mel. They later divorced in 1998, but still live near each other. Knight found work at NASA, where she took care of animals used in space experiments.
Portrayals in the media
In the 2013 American black comedy-crime film "American Hustle," written and directed by David O. Russell, Amy Adams was cast in the role of Knight. The film received ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. For her portrayal of Knight, Adams received a nomination for Best Actress. The script for the film did make changes to her story: The film portrays Knight as an American named Sydney Prosser, who is pretending to be British (using the pseudonym "Edith Greensly") as a way to conduct cons, however; in real life Knight was born British. Her name was changed from Evelyn Knight to Edith Greensly.