Paula Broadwell Sent Threatening Emails To Jill Kelley That Made Her Fear For Her Life: Report

Paula Broadwell, former mistress of ex-CIA Director David Petraeus, allegedly sent Florida socialite Jill Kelley a number of emails in the days before the scandal went public that Kelley considered death threats, a close friend of Kelley's told the New York Daily News this week.

In an interview with the Daily News, the friend said that the ominous messages left Kelley worried for her safety:

The friend, who did not want to be identified, said Kelley saw the emails as death threats, specifically one in which Broadwell vowed to “make you go away.”

In other emails, Broadwell, a West Point graduate, touted her military background in a threatening manner and boasted of having “powerful” friends.

The Associated Press reports that the threatening emails Kelley claims to have received eventually led to the breaking of the scandal, as well as drawing Marine Gen. John Allen, Petraeus' successor as the top American commander in Afghanistan, into the expanding mess.

It was Kelley's complaints to an FBI agent about alleged threats from Broadwell that led to the general's resignation last week and has sidelined Allen's nomination to become the next commander of U.S. European Command and the commander of NATO forces in Europe.

Allen and Kelley were later found to have exchanged thousands of emails.

In the days since the scandal broke, Kelley has appeared concerned about her well-being, as well as the broader effect the publicity is having on her family and reputation.

In email transcripts between Kelley and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn released by the Tampa Bay Times, Kelley referred to Broadwell as "the criminal that stalked all of us." She also complained of the city's decision to release 911 tapes and police dispatch records, which she said had left her "receiving threats all night."

Last week, Kelley called the police to complain about reporters harassing her at her home. She cited her position as honorary local consul for South Korea and asked for "diplomatic protection." That phone call was later released to the press.