Parties at the Kelleys' home are "all wonderfully catered," Mr. Fodiman said.Dr. Kelley is a cancer surgeon at the Watson Clinic in Lakeland, Fla.

Middle Eastern diplomats in Washington also knew Ms. Kelley, who came from a Lebanese immigrant family and who helped arrange social activities when dignitaries from the region visited Tampa, diplomats said. She also sometimes attended parties at Washington embassies.

The Kelleys, meanwhile, have battled creditors. Banks filed liens against a downtown Tampa office building they own, as well as their waterfront mansion, in May 2010, according to Hillsborough County court records. Both properties were under threat of foreclosure, according to the records. The current status of these actions couldn't be determined.

[link to online.wsj.com]