Christie Brinkley's marriage breakdown

Christie Brinkley's Marriage Breakdown

July 17, 2006 -- Fans around the world were shocked to learn last week that Christie Brinkley and her husband, Peter Cook, were calling it quits.

Now comes shocking news that Christie may have been blindsided and shocked by her handsome husband, as both the New York Post and the Daily News report Cook was secretly dating a 19-year-old girl, who is also his former assistant.

Diana Bianchi, the teenager thrust into the scandal, is speaking out to Channel 5 FOX news anchor Rosanna Scotto in an exclusive interview, airing Monday night.

Diana said she first met Peter when she worked at a store in the Hamptons. "He used to come in a lot more than usual," she said. "I guess, that's what people were telling me."

Bianchi is now threatening legal action, and "Extra" got the girl's lawyers, high-powered New York attorneys Joseph Acopina and Rosemarie Arnold, who revealed they are considering a sexual harassment suit.

"Peter made enormous promises to Diana, all of which he knew he had no intention of keeping," Arnold revealed. "Diana is the classic victim of a sexual harassment case."

Arnold claims Christie's 47-year-old hubby "preyed" on 19-year-old Bianchi "by offering her things like a better job. She's a stunning, beautiful teenager, and he manipulated her in the worst way."

Cook is not returning "Extra's" phone calls, but Diana's lawyers claim Christie's hubby also gave Diana a car and offered her that job in his firm two years ago.

But you won't believe how the world's first supermodel found out about her hubby's less than super affair. Bianchi's lawyers claim Christie found out about the alleged scandal from the teenager's stepfather, Brian Platt.

"Mr. Platt approached Ms. Brinkley and requested that she ask her husband to leave his teenage daughter alone," they revealed.

On Monday, Christie's publicist said, "For me to say that she's not hurt or shocked, that would just be foolish."

Over the weekend, the Brinkley breakup was the talk of the small Hamptons community. "We all feel bad for her," Howard Stern revealed.

Christie is rumored to be with her children Sailor and Jack in Los Angeles, as she comes to terms with her latest marital meltdown.

Source: Extra TV