Washington, Dec 3 : Even though American television host Oprah Winfrey was backing President-elect Barack Obama during the elections, she still accepted at least five million dollars from his rival.

Winfrey had, according to federal tax returns and other reports, accepted the donation for her self-named South African girls’ school, Fox News reports.

The Emmy Awards winner tendered her full support to Obama during his campaign, threw a lavish launch party in his honour, endorsed him on her show, and even cried when he won.

However, it has now been revealed that Winfrey is also a very close friend of Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons, who happens to be a leading Republican donor and supporter of John McCain.

Winfrey and Simmons have known one another since 2001, and according to the 2006 federal tax filing for the Oprah Winfrey Operating Fund, she accepted a one-million-dollar donation to her Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa from him.

The Dallas Morning News reported in 2007 that the one million dollars were only part of a five-million-dollar pledge to the Academy.

Winfrey was unavailable for comment, while Simmons, who doesn’t have a press representative, did not return calls. (ANI)