Crystal Hefner has launched a proper problem towards the Hugh M. Hefner Basis, accusing the organisation of mishandling 1000’s of her late husband’s personal scrapbooks — a set she says incorporates specific photos of girls, together with herself, and doubtlessly underage ladies.
Crystal Hefner desires Hugh Hefner’s specific scrapbooks to stay personal
The previous Playboy mannequin and widow of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner has filed regulatory complaints with the attorneys basic of each California and Illinois, elevating considerations that the inspiration could also be making ready to launch or digitise the fabric with out correct safeguards.
In accordance with Crystal, the scrapbooks — reportedly numbering within the 1000’s — doc a long time of Hefner’s personal life and embody sexual photos that have been by no means meant for public consumption. She argues that lots of the girls featured could not even know they have been photographed, and fears that some could have been underage on the time.
Crystal revealed that she was not too long ago faraway from her function as president of the inspiration, a transfer she believes is linked to her objections over how the paperwork are being dealt with.
At a press convention alongside lawyer Gloria Allred on Tuesday (17.02.26), she described the state of affairs as pressing, stressing that the inspiration’s alleged plans may expose deeply private and doubtlessly non‑consensual photos.
She mentioned: “My focus is on how Hugh Hefner’s private scrapbooks chronicle personal moments that came about behind closed doorways.
“There are severe and unresolved considerations in regards to the scope of what these books comprise. The supplies span a long time, starting within the Sixties, and will embody photos of women who have been underage on the time and couldn’t consent to how their photos could be retained or managed.”
The complaints allege that the inspiration has roughly 3,000 scrapbooks and Hefner’s private diary, elevating alarm over what Crystal describes as “irresponsible” stewardship of delicate materials. Studies recommend the inspiration could also be contemplating digitising the archive — a chance that has intensified Crystal’s efforts to intervene earlier than any photos are launched or leaked.
She maintains that her precedence is defending the privateness and dignity of the ladies depicted, insisting that the scrapbooks have been by no means meant to change into a public archive.
Crystal went on: “The scrapbooks embody nude photos, photos taken earlier than and after sexual exercise, and different deeply intimate moments. They comprise intimate materials involving girls who are actually moms, grandmothers, professionals, and personal residents who’ve spent a long time constructing their lives with no thought these photos have been nonetheless being hoarded. I consider they embody girls, and presumably ladies, who by no means agreed to lifelong personal possession of their bare photos, and who don’t have any transparency into the place their images are, how they’re being saved, or what is going to occur to them subsequent.”
She concluded: “This isn’t about cash. I’m looking for dignity, security, and the destruction of nonconsensual intimate supplies in order that exploitation doesn’t proceed underneath the banner of philanthropy. 1000’s of girls could also be affected. This can be a civil rights challenge. Ladies’s our bodies are usually not property, not historical past, and never collectibles. And no group needs to be allowed to assert the language of civil rights whereas denying girls their most elementary one: the suitable to regulate their very own our bodies and pictures.”
