The Shannon Twins Reflect on Traumatic Life Inside Playboy Mansion, Claim Hugh Hefner 'Forced Them'; DEETS

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of substance abuse and s*xual activities that could be triggering to some readers. 

Kristina and Karissa Shannon, also known as the Shannon Twins, opened up about their traumatizing time in the Playboy Mansion. They accuse Playboy magazine’s founder, Hugh Hefner, of forcing them into threesomes. 

The twins who were once the face of the magazine had to allegedly deal with group s*x, an unwanted pregnancy, and STIs. They also feared that they would end up dead like tragic Anna Nicole Smith.

Karrisa revealed that she and her twin sister became the founder’s favorite playmates. She recalled how “Hef” would go crazy over their photoshoots and pictures. Since the twins were younger, they didn’t go partying with the rest of the girls. Instead, they were confined to the magazine and followed Hefner. 

In the 2022 documentary Secrets of Playboy, the sisters recalled the moment they were forced to partake in a threesome with Hefner. They realized what they had gotten themselves into. “We had never done a threesome together before, we would never want to,” Kristina added. 

She added that after that traumatic night, she didn’t feel herself anymore. She felt “used” and "disgusted". However, retreating to their hometown, taking care of their mental health and embracing spirituality changed their lives. 

The girls claimed that both contracted chlamydia, and Karissa even got pregnant with Hefner’s child, which she later aborted. They claimed that the trauma led them to gain weight and abuse substances and even pushed them into a suicidal spiral. 

As teens, being featured in the magazine was like a dream come true, but the reality was completely different. “It was such a culture shock for us,” Karissa told People magazine. Although Playboy opened doors of opportunities, there were some downsides. 

“Even though it turned out to be very traumatic for us, there were also a lot of high points,” she added. 

Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with domestic violence or assault or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist or NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.