Crystal Hefner is raising alarms about the handling of Hugh Hefner’s personal archives, saying she fears the material could cause lasting harm if not properly protected.
The former Playmate and widow of the Playboy founder has filed regulatory complaints with the attorneys general in California and Illinois, citing concerns about how the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation is storing thousands of private scrapbooks.
Speaking alongside attorney Gloria Allred, Hefner said the materials contain “deeply intimate moments,” including nude photos and sexual encounters involving women who never agreed to long-term possession of those images.
She also said she worries the collection may include images of girls who were underage at the time.
“These women are now mothers and grandmothers who have no idea these images still exist,” she said. “Once images leave secure custody, the harm is irreversible.”
Hefner claims she was removed as president of the foundation after clashing with leadership over consent, privacy, and plans to digitize the collection. She added that new technology makes the risk even greater.
“A single breach could devastate thousands of lives,” she said.
Hugh Hefner’s sons, Marston and Cooper, strongly disputed her claims, saying they have reviewed the scrapbooks for years and never saw inappropriate material involving minors. They called for evidence-based discussion and said their father intended the collection to serve as historical documentation, ideally preserved by a museum or university.
