Crystal Hefner, the widow of the late Hugh Hefner, is calling for a thorough investigation into the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation. She claims that the foundation possesses personal scrapbooks and diaries that include highly sensitive materials, such as explicit images of women, and possibly underage girls.
This demand was publicly announced on Tuesday during a press conference led by renowned attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing Hefner in formal complaints filed in California and Illinois.
Hefner expressed her belief that the foundation retains approximately 3,000 personal scrapbooks belonging to her late husband, filled with numerous nude images illustrating sexual activities and private moments.
"These materials cover several decades, starting from the 1960s, and may contain images of girls who were underage then, thus unable to provide consent regarding how their images were kept or utilized," Hefner noted.
She further mentioned that the scrapbooks might also include images of women who did not give permission for their photos to be taken in the first place.
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Allred added that some of these images might have been captured while the women were under the influence.
“It is vital for the public to recognize that I am not addressing images published in magazines. My focus lies on how Hugh Hefner’s private scrapbooks documented personal moments occurring behind closed doors,” Hefner clarified.
According to Allred, regulatory complaints have already been directed to the attorneys general in California, where Hugh Hefner resided, and Illinois, where the foundation is based. These complaints aim to investigate the management and storage of these sensitive materials, highlighting worries regarding potential distribution or unauthorized access.
A spokesperson from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office confirmed they have received the complaint, which is currently under examination.
There is still uncertainty regarding how the foundation acquired these scrapbooks. Hefner mentioned that she was informed they are held in a facility in California, although she had previously been told some were stored in a private residence for scanning and digitization purposes. She voiced her anxiety that these materials might be sold or could become vulnerable to a data breach.
"Crystal did not consent to the storage of her intimate images by the foundation, and we suspect that many other women or girls depicted did not give their consent either," Allred stated.
Additionally, Hefner revealed that she was removed from her roles as CEO and president of the foundation after refusing to step down.
"The issues I raised concerning consent, safety, and security were ignored," Hefner remarked. "Although I declined to resign from my position in direct response to my growing concerns about the handling of private photographs in the scrapbooks, I was removed without consent."
The foundation did not provide comments despite several requests for input. Its website describes the organization as a philanthropic entity committed to civil rights and liberties, with a focus on First Amendment rights and drug policy reform.
No evidence was presented during the press conference to validate the accusations.
"This is not about finances. I seek dignity, safety, and the elimination of non-consensual intimate materials so that exploitation does not persist under the guise of philanthropy," Hefner emphasized.
"Thousands of women could be impacted. This is a civil rights matter. Women’s bodies are not objects, history, or collectibles," she concluded.
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