At first glance, the Charles & YaVaughnie billboards look like love but looks can be deceiving – they are actually a very public display of retaliation aimed at a rich, married advisor to President Obama.
YaVaughnie Wilkins paid for billboards in New York, Atlanta and San Francisco after she learned that her lover, Charles E. Phillips— president and director of the tech conglomerate Oracle Corporation and a member of Obama’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board — had reconciled with his wife Karen.
The billboards forced Phillips to release a statement saying, “I had an eight-and-a-half year serious relationship with YaVaughnie Wilkins. The relationship with Ms. Wilkins has since ended and we both wish each other well.”
The billboards, three in New York and one apiece in Atlanta and San Francisco, where Phillips lives — may have cost Wilkins up to $250,000.
The billboards also list a website tribute to their long-term affair, with pictures dating back to 2001 that chronicle their travels around the world , including trips to the Great Wall of China and Sydney Harbour, as well as ticket stubs from concerts, films, sports games and President Obama’s inauguration.
The website, charlesphillipsandyavaughniewilkins.com, has been taken down.
California Web-site designer Bela Kovacs said Wilkins spent “about $1,400” last August to build the site as “a present for Charles.”
“She seemed very straightforward, very intent on putting together something nice for him,” Kovacs said.
“I wasn’t sure if it was her boyfriend or her husband, but it certainly wasn’t like it was a secret relationship.”
Check out the photo gallery of pics from charlesphillipsandyavaughniewilkins.com before it was taken down: