Hugh Hefner's 5 Biggest Controversies And Scandals

Hugh Hefner was involved in more than a few controversies during his long life.

The founder of Playboy magazine, who passed away on Sept. 27, had his fair share of controversies and scandals, including even rape allegations. Here are some of the unforgettable ones that made headlines, according to E! News.

Rape Accusations

Movie director Peter Bogdanovich accused Hefner of forcing himself on his Playboy Playmate, Dorothy Stratten. The incident reportedly happened in his Jacuzzi grotto on her first night at the mansion.

However, Hefner denied the allegation. "I am publisher of Playboy or no, a very shy man. And I could no more force myself on a woman, psychologically or physically, than could the man on the moon," Hefner told Rolling Stone.

Obscenity Charges

Hefner was arrested for publishing and circulating obscene literature. The charges were due to the Playboy June 1963 issue that featured Jayne Mansfield. On Dec. 7, 1963, the jury was dismissed after it deadlocked 7-5 for acquittal, CNN reported.

Feminists and Religious People vs. Hefner

When Hefner launched Playboy, its centerfold featured a nude photo of Marilyn Monroe. A number of feminists and religious people were not pleased. It drew criticism from the groups which even continues to this day.

Additionally, in an internal memo in 1970, Hefner took a jab at feminists. "These chicks are our natural enemy," he wrote. "What I want is a devastating piece that takes the militant feminists apart. They are unalterably opposed to the romantic boy-girl society that Playboy promotes."

In addition, Gloria Steinem, a feminist icon, reportedly went undercover as a Playboy Bunny, and she learned that Hefner didn't want his girls to have a background. He simply wanted them to "fit the bunny image."

Multiple Girlfriends

Hefner tied the knot three times, and he admitted that after his separation from his exes, he had multiple live-ins. But he stressed that he didn't cheat when he was married.

"There were chunks of my life when I was married, and when I was married I never cheated," Hefner told Esquire in 2013. "But I made up for it when I wasn't married."

Controlling and Manipulative

Hefner's ex-girlfriend, Holly Madison, claimed in her 2015 tell-all book "Down the Rabbit Hole" that the Playboy founder is controlling and manipulative. Hefner provided his Playboy playmates allowances, meals and rooms, but in return, they were expected to have sex with him in front of each other. The girls also had a curfew and were not allowed to date even if Hefner himself was not monogamous.

"It turned out to be something that was traumatic for me in a way that I wasn't really prepared for...I felt really ashamed of the choice I made," Madison told OWN's "Where Are They Now" series about her stay in the Playboy mansion.

As a response, Hefner just said that he had several exes that remained friends with him. However, he couldn't please everyone.

What can you say about the scandals involving the late Hefner? Drop a comment below.