Former Playboy Playmate Karissa Shannon has alleged that late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner repeatedly pressured her and her twin sister, Kristina Shannon, to perform sexual acts with each other while living at the Playboy Mansion. She said the sisters pretended to follow his demands but never actually had sex with each other.
Karissa, 37, recalled how Hefner allegedly attempted to make the twins perform sexual acts in front of him. The sisters moved into the Los Angeles mansion at 18 and stayed until they were 20, during which time they were among Hefner's girlfriends.
'He would try and force me and my sister to have sex with each other,' Karissa said.
Karissa Shannon Says Twins Pretended To Comply
Karissa explained that she and Kristina privately agreed to pretend to engage in the acts rather than do what Hefner allegedly wanted. 'We faked it. We faked it every time. And it was horrible,' she said.
The former Playmate maintained that the sisters never actually engaged in sexual activity with each other, despite Hefner's alleged expectations. She claimed Hefner believed their performances were genuine and did not realise they were pretending. Karissa also alleged that he attempted to persuade the twins by suggesting that their willingness to engage in sexual activity together would demonstrate how much they loved each other.
According to Karissa, Crystal was frequently present during the incidents and knew that the sisters were not actually having sex with each other. The twins' decision to pretend to comply was their way of avoiding the sexual acts Hefner allegedly wanted them to perform.
Crystal Hefner Previously Discussed the Allegations
Crystal previously spoke about the alleged incidents during an appearance on the Lisa Guerrero Unleashed podcast. She claimed Hefner attempted to push the twins' heads towards each other's intimate areas to encourage them to engage in sexual activity. Crystal described the alleged behaviour as incestuous and said she found the situation disturbing.
Her account also included claims about Hefner's treatment of the sisters during their time at the mansion. Crystal married Hefner in December 2012 and was his third wife. Following his death, she has spoken publicly about their relationship and her experiences during their years together.
Twins Previously Recounted Mansion Experiences
Karissa and Kristina have previously discussed their experiences with Hefner in the 2022 docuseries Secrets of Playboy. The series featured accounts from former Playmates and women associated with the Playboy Mansion, examining their experiences within the organisation and their relationships with its founder.
During the documentary, Karissa described her sexual encounters with Hefner as non-consensual, saying they felt like assault. 'Every time I've done it with him, it's assault,' she said in the series.
The twins also discussed an alleged sexual encounter involving Hefner on the night of their 19th birthday. Their previous claims formed part of the documentary's examination of sexual expectations and power dynamics surrounding life at the mansion.
Hefner founded Playboy magazine in 1953, building it into an internationally recognised brand spanning publishing, television and entertainment. He became one of the most prominent figures in the adult entertainment and magazine industries. He died in September 2017 at the age of 91 at his home, the Playboy Mansion, in Los Angeles.
