Report: Former NY Gov. Spitzer used alias at hospital hours after allegedly choking Russian prostitute

Former New York governor Eliot Spitzer used the name ‘George Fox’ during a 2016 hospital visit to a Russian prostitute he was accused of choking at the Plaza Hotel. 

Spitzer wore an all-black outfit and a hat when visiting Svetlana Travis-Zakharova in an undisclosed hospital following his alleged attack on her in the $1,000-a-night room, the New York Post reported. 

Security footage reviewed by detectives shows he arrived at 11 p.m on February 13, 2016.  This was hours after the alleged choking incident took place. Travis-Zakharova later recanted the assault claim. He also used the ‘George Fox’ alias when frequenting prostitutes in 2008, according to newly-unearthed court documents obtained by The Post.

On the afternoon of February 13, 2016, Spitzer met Travis-Zakharova “for a drink” in her $1,000-a-night Plaza Hotel suite, according to a March 15, 2016, preliminary investigation worksheet filed by Sargent Michael Giuffre.

The then-25-year-old told Spitzer she was flying back to Russia the next day and would live there permanently. Spitzer left the Midtown hotel an hour later, but called her 30 times over the next three hours, “threatening her and attempting to prevent her from returning to Russia,” Giuffre wrote.

At 7 p.m., he returned to her room, “grabbed her by her wrists and threw her back on the bed. While standing over her, he placed his [sic] onto her neck/throat and put pressure causing her not to be able to breathe for at least three (3) seconds,” the report said.

Travis-Zakharova then told police that in an effort to get out of the room and to “scare” Spitzer, she took a wine glass, broke it and lightly cut herself on her wrist. Shortly after 8 p.m., a 911 call was placed and the victim was taken to a hospital, according to the report.

“She is on her period. I just came to help,” Spitzer initially told detectives who saw blood on the wall and door.

A text message chain between the pair has also been revealed in the documents, showing that tensions between them remained high. She told Spitzer that she was at a police station and was ready to disclose their relationship.

“I make sure your daughters and everyone you are dealing with know who you are,” Travis-Zakharova texted to Spitzer. “Can we discuss this \ like we have in the past?,” Spitzer, whose name was saved as “Elliot My Love” in Travis-Zakharova’s phone, the screenshots show – replied. 

She texted him back: “It’s going to be much worse than 2008,” and again: “AHAHAHAHAHAH let’s discuss how you will kill my mother and my dog? How about that.”

“Why are u doing this? Let’s talk, we had things worked out so nicely,” Spitzer wrote. “You can buy any lawyer and f–king thing I’m not your friend anymore you messed every little thing, you just want me to die, it would be better if I died in California, yes? You wouldn’t have to deal with this now,” she said.

“Have now idea what U mean, I have been taking good care of U and I am going to continue – why disturb this?,” the ex-governor asked the woman, whom he had been seeing for years.

In the July 2016 document, viewed by The Post, Travis-Zakharova agreed not to contact Spitzer and remain discreet about the case, or she would pay him $100,000.  This an amount “reflecting in part both damages Mr. Spitzer has suffered and funds he has previously paid to her.” In return, Spitzer agreed to drop his extortion lawsuit against her.