Wheel of Fortune's Jim Thornton Denies Pedophile Chat Room Plane Messages
Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton was suspended following allegations involving inappropriate chat room messages discovered on his computer during a flight. Thornton's lawyer denies any illegal activity, claiming the messages were part of a misunderstanding involving a suicide-prevention forum.
Why it matters
The incident involves serious allegations of child exploitation and highlights the reputational risks faced by public figures.
Content warning: This story discusses child sexual abuse images.
More details are coming to light about the incident that led to Jim Thornton 's exit.
After Wheel of Fortune suspended its longtime announcer on Sept. 1 over undisclosed allegations from an American Airlines flight, the passenger involved in the May incident told TMZ that she saw messages on his computer that made it seem like he was in a chat room for pedophiles.
The outlet obtained photos allegedly showing Thornton's computer on his tray table with messages in a chat room discussing "a couple of cute boys and a hot little girl" as well as "CP," which the passenger believes stood for child pornography.
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