New York City socialite Betty Grafstein, 96, has come forward in a bombshell video, alleging that her estranged husband, Portuguese-Mozambican drag queen José Castelo Branco, physically assaulted her, leaving her with a fractured femur, injured wrist, and fear for her life.
There is a 34-year age gap between the two, but that’s not keeping the nonagenarian New Yorker from speaking out against elder abuse and spousal abuse, including addressing rumors perpetuated by Castelo Branco about her current state.
“This is a little statement to José Castelo Branco,” she said. “Saying that I’m not very well, I’m incoherent, nobody comes to see me, I’m completely out of order—and it’s certainly not true.
“I have many, many friends that come to see me. A lot of people that I know that’ll vouch for me.”
Grafstein lamented her past, adding that she doesn’t know why she stayed with her abuser as long as she did.
Grafstein added that the attacks didn’t begin with the highly publicized incident in Portugal last year, where she was allegedly pushed by her now estranged husband.
“He’s punched me in my head so many times,” Grafstein alleged in the Instagram Reel, posted by Velvet Insider founder and publicist Sara Alhariri.
Grafstein, celebrated for her bold sense of fashion and charming personality, dressed to the nines while making her groundbreaking testimony, all from a wheelchair.
“I don’t know why I’ve stayed with José for so long,” Grafstein said. Describing the relationship as leaving her “afraid” and “caught in a trap.”
Her voice was calm, yet firm, sharply dispelling rumors about her lucidity, visitations, and overall quality of life.
She even asked viewers to come see for themselves if they had any doubts.
“I hope people will understand what this is putting me in, but I’d like people to know—it’s very important for me,” she said.
“Because I love all my friends and I love everybody around me who think I’m in great shape. So, if not, you can all come and visit me.
“I’ll be very happy for you to come. I’ll receive you in my nursing home, Mary Manning Walsh, and they’ll be very happy to see you there.
“We have a lovely lounge with a piano—and we’ll make it very entertaining for you.”
Once known for her marriage to diamond magnate Albert Grafstein and jet-set lifestyle, the cultural icon has received an outpouring of support from close friends, family, and fans.
Alhariri, a friend of Grafstein, has posted about elder abuse and spousal abuse.
“The expiration of a protective order should never mean the end of safety,” Alhariri wrote in the caption of the Reel. “We need stronger systems for elder and spousal abuse survivors in NYC.”
The case is raising questions about how jurisdictions handle elder and spousal abuse when multiple countries are involved.
“Elder abuse is a cross-border issue. When protective orders are ignored and individuals continue traveling internationally, who enforces the consequences?” Alhariri said.
Concerned friends and family hope that Grafstein’s case can be brought to justice.
“I want this story to have a better ending than the one they tried to script for her,” Alhariri added.