5 celebrities who visited Dennis Hof's infamous brothels
Secrets of The Bunny RanchSix miles east of Carson City, in a dusty corner of Nevada, sits the Moonlite BunnyRanch — a legal, licensed brothel that features in Crime+Investigation’s new show Secrets of the Bunny Ranch which will be available from Wednesday, 25th June.
Since opening in 1955, the venue has seen its fair share of controversies. Employees have reported rape, sexual assault and financial coercion. In 2018, the Lyon County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) found evidence of ‘possible human trafficking’.
Despite this, the brothel has become a favourite hangout of wealthy punters and celebrities, as have the other multiple legal brothels owned by infamous businessman Dennis Hof. Some come for sex; others are simply curious. Keep reading as we share five of the biggest names that have frequented brothel’s owned by Dennis Hof.
1. Lamar Odom
In October 2015, NBA superstar Lamar Odom was found unconscious at the Love Ranch in Crystal, Nevada. He had reportedly been staying there for several days, spending $75,000 on a VIP suite and two round-the-clock prostitutes.
He was immediately transported to hospital, where he was placed on life support after suffering multiple strokes, heart attacks and kidney failure. Toxicology reports revealed that Odom had consumed a dangerous cocktail of Viagra-like medication, cocaine and alcohol.
He denied consuming these substances knowingly and accused brothel owner Dennis Hof of drugging him: ‘I don't know what he had against me, but I didn't do drugs that night... He tried to kill me.’
2. Vince Neil
In July 2003, Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil was arrested after a serious assault at the Moonlite BunnyRanch.
According to brothel worker Andrea ‘TrixXxie Blue’ Terry, Neil had become enraged when she refused to have sex with him until he paid her $4,000. She claimed he grabbed her by the neck and threw her against the wall.
He was ultimately charged with misdemeanour battery. After pleading no contest, he received a suspended 30-day jail sentence and a $1,000 fine.
3. Ron Jeremy
Perhaps unsurprisingly, adult film star Ron Jeremy was a frequent client at the BunnyRanch and a close friend of Dennis Hof. The pair would attend industry events together and spend long, alcohol-fuelled nights partying.
In 2020, Jeremy was arrested and charged with several accounts of sexual assault, one of which reportedly occurred at the BunnyRanch.
During Hof's birthday party in 2018, a sex worker said Jeremy had led her away from the main celebration to a secluded area at the back of the building: ‘He bends me over the railing… lifts up my dress and does his thing. I'm in shock... I feel guilty that I didn't scream... I guess I didn't know how to react.’
Jeremy maintained his innocence through the trial but was eventually indicted on 34 counts of sexual assault involving 21 victims, including 12 counts of rape. However, in January 2023, a judge ruled that Jeremy was medically incompetent to stand trial due to his dementia diagnosis. He now receives ‘round the clock medical care’ at a ‘private residence’ and was never convicted of any crimes.
4. Jesse Ventura
When former professional wrestler and governor of Minnesota, Jesse Ventura, visited the Moonlite BunnyRanch in the 1970s, he was allegedly propositioned by a sex worker who wanted his belt. When he asked how much she would pay, she replied, ‘How about a trick and $10?’
Of course, Hof tried to capitalise on this encounter. He created an advertisement with Ventura's name alongside a fabricated quote: ‘I had sex at the Moonlite’. He also renamed the bedroom where Ventura reportedly had sex as the ‘Governor's Suite’.
5. Scott Thorson
Scott Thorson is best known for his six-year romantic relationship with Liberace, which inspired the HBO film Behind the Candelabra. The movie explored the tumultuous couple's infidelity, alcohol abuse and drug addiction in harrowing detail.
So, where does the BunnyRanch come in? Moved by his story, two employees urged Hof to help Thorson recover from addiction. The two men connected and became close friends and confidantes.
In February 2013, Hof paid Thorson's bail when he was arrested for using stolen credit cards. He also invited him to live in the guest house behind the Ranch, where he later received treatment for colon cancer.
When discussing his relationship with Hof in a trade publication for the adult entertainment industry, Thorson said: ‘I am truly blessed to have met Dennis Hof and the staff at the BunnyRanch. They’ve given me a chance to rebuild my life.’
