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Carolyn Whigham, the owner of the New Jersey funeral home that was given the task of handling Houston‘s funeral services, has always claimed to know the name of the guilty party and even held a press conference urging the family to reveal the information to the public.
Well that apparently never happened and Whigham Funeral Home is tired of taking all the flack!
Now they’re finally pointing the finger at the “close friend” of Whitney’s who profited from selling her death photo…
According to Forbes, Raffles van Exel, who also uses the aliases of Raffles Benson and Raffles Dawson, attended the two private viewings of Whitney’s casket held at the Whigham Funeral Home.
The first viewing was on February 17, 2012, the Friday night before the memorial service. The second one was on Sunday morning before the burial.
Staff at the funeral home say they noticed van Exel right away. While he’s not actually a member of the Houston family, he traveled with them on the private plane from Los Angeles to New Jersey for Whitney’s homegoing services.
van Exel was the only non-family member who accompanied Pat Houston in her car to Whitney’s memorial and funeral and to the viewings.
According to one source, he even had his own bodyguard with him, which was more than a little unusual.
A source from Whigham’s says when the picture appeared on the cover of the Enquirer, they told the Houstons of their suspicions.
“They didn’t do anything about it,” says a source. “They’re protecting him. How come they haven’t gotten him out of their circle?”
Many Houston fans felt it was the Funeral Home’s fault that the photo was taken and once while conducting another funeral, Carolyn Whigham says she was spat upon by a stranger.
“The Houston family invited everyone into that room. We had no role in that. We were told their security would handle everything. They didn’t give us responsibility for that.”
About 35 people came to the first viewing. The Wighams didn’t know everyone. But they know none of their people were involved. One of the funeral home employees says they witnessed Raffles van Exel take the picture of Whitney in her coffin.
The burial, by the way, did not include $500,000 worth of jewelry. “It was costume jewelry,” says the funeral director. “Please…”
Many news outlets have reached out to van Exel, who was also “friends” with Michael Jackson, and calls and emails to eliciting a response from him have gone unanswered. Forbes reporter Roger Friendman, states:
His voice mail box is full. He answered one of my emails, asking what I wanted, and then didn’t respond again. A second email was replied to, with a blank message.
Oddly enough, van Exel, who loves to rub elbows with famous folk, has been keeping a very low profile these days. And it’s not the first time he has gone underground.
Friendman also notes that van Exel had a run in with R&B singer George Benson (“Give Me the Night,” “Turn Your Love Around”) who says, his lawyer had to send van Exel a cease and desist letter warning him not use the name Benson or describe himself as Benson’s son.
One day, Benson says, van Exel called him and told him to come home; he thought there’d been a robbery.
When Benson returned to the house, he discovered $25,000 in cash was missing. He’d taken out of the bank to pay for home repairs. By the time he made the discovery, van Exel had vanished.
“We never saw him or heard from him again,” Benson recalls. Without tangible proof, he couldn’t press charges with the local police. van Exel, as I reported in my original story, has sometimes been sued under the name Raffles Benson.
Just shameful!
I wonder why Whitney’s loyal friend/sister in-law Pat Houston didn’t reveal this information during her Oprah interview or even to the press in general?
Could Pat have possibly profited from the sale of Whitney’s casket photo as well? Hmmm… makes you wonder about her silence.
Now that Raffles van Exel has been revealed as the seller, what’s next?
FULL PHOTO GALLERY
what a sick and twisted asshole!! Karma is a bitch so hes gonna get his back.
I do a lot of reading about the Illuminati stuff and all the shady things that go down in the music industry so I am familiar with this persons name although he has always remained pretty mysterious. One thing for sure he is always there just before something goes down.
He was also in the hotel when Whitney died with the guy who played the football player in the movie The Blind Side.
ummmm….doesn’t Jay-z mention this guys name in one of his lyrics? He says something, then something else and ends it with "like van Excel"….
smh… Whitney did look great either way.
He traveled with Pat for a reason…
If this is true? Its a dog gone shame. Money make so many people do things that question their character. SMH…….
So sad and it’s nothing but greed! There was no respect shown on his part! Karma will come!
OMG! Just let her rest in Peace and let God deal with whomever is responsible
Smh
NOT ONLY DISGUSTED WITH HIM BUT HE COULD HAVE SOLD THOSE PHOTOS IF THE INQUIRER WASNT WILLING TO POST THEM..SMH
This guy is mad shady. He even looks like a "slickster". I can spot his type from a mile away, because they always become too friendly with you too soon. For instance, they’ll call you "friend" ten minutes after you meet them and knew they existed. They have noticeably fake personas.
I agree with you: why didn’t Whitney’s sister speak up? It was she who allowed this guy access to her dead sister. Food for thought: in life, everyone that is around you is not necessarily for you, even if they are friends or family members.
Someone in Whitney’s immediate family profitted from that photo’.
Raffles *sigh* rest in peace Whitney. He ought to be ashamed.
Frank and Wanda from Atlantas V103 was talking this week about Pat Houston being the one who took and sold the pictures. This is all turning out to be a mess. I hope Whitney is resting peacefully. You just don’t know who to trust these days.
Wow
That’s ridiculous! I’m not surprised because with fame comes greed.
He need his ass beat!!!!!!
I say that it’s a shame on the Raffles guy’s part and also on the Houston family for not revealing who actuallly took the picture! Why would they protect this guy and not defend the innocent funeral home? It’s shameful that the funeral home is being made to look like liars and unprofessional! I wouldn’t be surprised if the funeral home slaps a lawsuit against the Houston family and Raffles.
Something does not sit well wit me and pat she really remind’s me of whitneys sister in the body guard….something just isn’t right i do not trust her.
td says-"I can spot his type from a mile away, because they always become too friendly with you too soon. For instance, they’ll call you "friend" ten minutes after you meet them and knew they existed. They have noticeably fake personas."
Exactly!- why even allow people like this to hang around you at all, ever?
This lame also said he "found" Whitney. He attended Clive’s party with her tickets… allegedly
It’s obvious this guy is a nutcase, he stalked George Benson and had to have a restraining order, why would the Houston Family even have this crazy man hanging around? He has now gone underground, that’s his MO, he got a half of milly for that pic so it’s not that hard to disappear for a while and then when that money runs out he will pop back up, He’s a hustla and played them like a game of chess…
Uhm…how does it feel to be the most hated man right now? What a douche!
Bunch of weirdos in this camp!
Glad all of that is finally out…truth be told, even though Whitney’s camp had their own security hired, I would have had mine in there as well…after all-it is HER (WHIGHAM)FUNERAL HOME. Their people would be protecting Whitney. My people would be protecting my company name. On a side note, they (Whigham) did a beautiful job from what I can see on her remains. Never thought the jewelry was real.
I’m glad they blew his ass out the water…..dirty bastard !
That’s just disgusting!!! The people that truely cared about her and had her best interest at heart like her Mother for one she stayed away from and the low lifes that just leached off of her she had around 24-7. I guess that’s the way it goes sometimes. RIP WHITNEY!
Off with his head!!! Very suspect, I read about him a few weeks ago but he had no name at the time. The person who knew he was hanging around Whitney didn’t want to place his name out there. He also was hanging around MJ before he passed or when there was drama. Ugh Sounds like a HANGER On type of person.
WHAT DOES HE DO AGAIN? AND WHO IS HE AGAIN? HE SHOULD BE SENT TO JAIL FOR DOING THAT. YES, I DONT BELIEVE PAT AND HOUSTON BROTHER ARE TELLING THE TRUTH, IF I WERE CISSY ID LAUNCH A FULL INVESTIGATION!!!! I DONT TRUST PAT AS FAR AS I CAN THROW HER…SHE SEEM LIKE A REAL UPTIGHT TIGHT WAD A@# BITCH AND I WAS OPRAH I WOULD HAVE DRILLED HER FOR NOT GETTING BACK WITH HER BOSS UNTIL 3 IN THE FREAKIN AFTERNOON , IF MY BOSS CALL ME AT 10 AM AND I IGNORE HER AND DONT GET BACK WITH HER UNTIL I FEEL LIKE IT, I’D BE FIRED, THEN TO WALK SLOWLY TO HER ROOM AFTER SEEING THE HAIRDRESSER ON BENDED KNEE SCREAMING??? WOW!!!!
He and patricia is involved he’s not new to their circle…..game reconize game!
This guy is shady, but everything still points back to Pat. he couldn’t have got to the funeral without a family member which was Pat. they all need to be put on a trial. i am not over Pat telling Oprah "i don’t know how she got in the tub".
Shady… Just shady.
To Nicki…When Jay-Z says Van Exel in the Beyonce song, he is talking bout Dallas Maverick’s player NICK van EXEL….NOT THIS FRIENDLY LOOKING DUDE****
WOW….GREED IS SOMETHING ELSE.
They are involved in taking the photo or the death of Whitney? I still don’t believe that Whitney just mixed her pills and alcohol. Some foul play somewhere….possibly…
They are involved in taking the photo or the death of Whitney? I still don’t believe that Whitney just mixed her pills and alcohol. Some foul play somewhere….possibly…
well then if this is the case….Ive gonna have to look at Pat and Gary Houston a little closer. He was with them. So. As far as Whigham’s ,TMZ and another site still say they got those photo’s from somebody at the funeral home. Even Jackie J has said it,the person wanted to sell the photo for 100 g’s but was turned down. This person is not this dude.So Whighams dont get a pass just yet.
I find it most strange that he rode with Pat-her most trusted and closest friend-to the viewings. Ya’ll know she’s the executor of the will… I believe she had him take the pic and set up some kind of deal with this joker for additional cash. I hope Bobbi Kris can get to her inheritance before this shady broad can spend one red cent of it.
@Mary says; For REAL Doh’!!!
In reality?…This is a cruel and uncaring world. The people that proclaim their love for you and God are the ones you HAVE to look out for more than whom you perceive your enemies. Enemies KNOW your perception of them and are immaculate in everything, they know you’re watching. Family members are the ones who get lax…thinking if you ARE involved with drugs or alcohol,you will lose your perception. This may very well HAVE happened to Whitney. Though in reality I think that Xanax and a warm bath is a deadly combo.
I got the same vibe about Pat on the Oprah show. She was way to calm when she spoke (in a creepy way)about the day Whitney died. Also why would you walk & not run to Whitney’s room? I didn’t much like Bobbi Kristina either. I felt like she was promoting herself by saying shes going to get through it by starting a singing and acting career. REALLY????? She was way to calm for having lost her best friend/mother.
If he did this thing, it’s just terrible. Regarding Pat, I don’t know if she was involved but I do know that manager, sister/friend, etc. whatever she was in Whitney’s life, there’s no way anyone can keep someone out of a grown person’s life if they want them there. I hate that Whitney is dead but I’m not willing to speak ill of her family when I don’t know if these things are true. Whitney had problems that is the truth. But we can’t blame other people for whatever she chose to do or who she chose to have around her. That woman was NOT someone to let anybody tell her what to do, I think sometimes we all are guilty of trying to remember her as that sweet innocent stage personna she executed so well and not the person she even stated herself she was… Can y’all imagine what it must have been like for anyone to try to tell Whitney not to do this or perhaps you don’t want to do this…that woman was foolish. Ready to fight, curse you out, etc. Please if she had riffraff around her, she invited them in.
Whitney paid Pat and Gary’s bills. They profited from them casket photos you better believe. Cissy couldn’t control Whitney (Robin, Bobby) and she sure can’t control Bobbi Kris who is grieving her mother but looks all too happy with the paparazzi taking pics of her. Like she craves the attention. Pat seems like a nice woman but she was an enabler.On another note when is Bobby doing an exclusive sit down?
to curiousone so you said couldn’t one tell Whitney what to do, tell me why did Pat say that she made her leave the party the night her and that chic got into it. Answer that for me curios1
Just looked it up: Jay Z was speaking of Nick van Exel, not this dude.
Like curiousone said; If you have riff raff around you who is doing these negative things,then you have never in reality excaped these demons. No doesn’t mean No in these circumstances. You have to clear the NO completely out of you life before you declare these demons gone. I still miss her,but am glad I was here to hear and feel her glorious gift in and at the times God chose for it to be shown.
ALL I KNOW IS HE HAS A BULL’S EYE ON HIM FOR LIFE….TOO MANY WHITNEY FANS!!!! HE SHOULD BE AFRAID…VERY AFRAID… WHITNEY DID NOT DESERVE THAT……………………………R I P W H I T N E Y. JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED.. IN TIME..ALL THINGS IN TIME..& REITA YOU ARE A BIT MUCH..YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR OWN SITE
The Police need to give Pat Houston a lie detector test. The whole thing smells of suspicion…Nippy found face down, Pat telling Mary to CALM down and telling her brother to let it go…like Nippy was not worth fighting for…if that was my best friend I would have done CPR until the cows came home. Pat needs to be investigated and seriously questioned!!!
I knew that is was someone who had easy
access to Whitney Houston.Asshole will get his.
Its all about Karma.
Now here’s the thing as I did research on all these supper stars death he was either around the scene or he was there who is this dude all y’all gotta do is research his research his last name if his name not in the illuminati bloodline he maybe related to 1 of the family bloodline
He sounds like a smooth criminal to me! Do you people really beLIEve any of this stuff???