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Hugh Hefner’s widow makes 'sex diary' demand amid claims his estate could have sexual pictures of underage ‘girls’
Crystal Hefner, the 39-year-old widow of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, has made explosive allegations about the contents of materials she says are controlled by the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation.
Speaking at a February 17 press conference held at attorney Gloria Allred’s office, Crystal claimed the nonprofit is in possession of decades’ worth of sexualized images of women, some of whom may have been underage at the time the photos were taken, as reported by The Independent.
Crystal Hefner's allegations
Crystal, who married Hefner in 2012 when he was 86 and remained with him until his death in 2017, said she was removed from her role as president of the foundation after raising concerns about how the materials were being handled.
According to her and Allred, the collection includes scrapbooks and diaries dating back to the 1960s that allegedly catalog Hefner’s sexual encounters in explicit detail.
“These materials span decades, beginning in the 1960s, and may include images of girls who were underage at the time and could not consent to how their images would be retained or controlled,” Crystal said.
“They may also contain images of women who did not consent to their images being taken in the first place.
“The scrapbooks include nude images, images taken before and after sexual activity, and other deeply intimate moments,” she continued.
“They contain intimate material involving women who are now mothers, grandmothers, professionals, and private citizens who have spent decades building their lives with no idea these images were still being hoarded.”
Alleged sex diary said to include thousands of images and detailed records
At the press conference, Crystal and Allred said they believe the alleged sex diary contains around 3,000 photographs of women, including images taken before, during, and after sexual activity.
They stressed that these were described as personal nudes and not photographs ever published in Playboy magazine.
According to Allred, the documents also allegedly contain a list of women with whom the Playboy founder had sexual relations, along with descriptions of the sex acts performed.
The diary is said to match names of sexual partners with specific acts and, in some instances, track menstrual cycles.
Crystal further claimed that the materials are awaiting scanning and digitization by the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation, raising alarm over where the documents are currently stored and who may ultimately have access to them.
She said she never consented to any of her own images being shared beyond their original context and believes many other women would feel the same.
Crystal added that a security breach or leak could “devastate thousands of lives.” She also stated that she has not received a clear answer from the foundation about the current location of the diary, which she described as deeply concerning.
After voicing her objections about the handling of the photos and diaries, Crystal said she was removed from her position as head of the foundation.
Allred is now urging the Attorneys General of California and Illinois to investigate the alleged diary and ensure that all images and references remain private.
Crystal’s public reckoning with Playboy and Hefner’s legacy
In recent years, Crystal has increasingly distanced herself from the Playboy empire. A former Playmate of the Month in 2009, she released her memoir, Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself, in January 2024.
In the book, she described what she characterized as a culture of misogyny inside the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles and detailed the treatment she and other women allegedly experienced while living there.
Reflecting on that time, she told The New York Times: “At the time, I must have been brainwashed or something,” and claimed she was frequently told to “tone up” if she gained weight.
She also alleged that Hefner insisted she dye her hair blonde when her brunette roots appeared and that group sex encounters in his bedroom allegedly followed parties at the mansion.
According to Crystal, she felt pressure to participate in mansion activities out of fear of being replaced by a younger woman.
She has said that near the end of his life, Hefner urged her to “only say good things” about him.
Crystal told The NYT she intended to honor that request until she watched the documentary series Leaving Neverland, which centers on two men who allege they were abused by Michael Jackson.
Jackson’s estate has maintained that the late singer was innocent and, at the time of the documentary’s broadcast, noted that he was not found guilty of any wrongdoing.
Although Hefner has faced accusations of sexual abuse and coercion from some former girlfriends, he was not found guilty of any criminal wrongdoing during his lifetime.
In 2022, Playboy issued a statement expressing support for women who had come forward with allegations. “We trust and validate these women and their stories and we strongly support those individuals who have come forward to share their experiences,” the company said.