Hundreds Sick After Visit to Playboy Mansion

After a visit to the Playboy mansion, hundreds contracted a respiratory disease similar to Legionnaires’. Guests also visited several other venues, which are being investigated as well to locate the source.

Over 700 people attended a three-day conference in L.A. for Internet entrepreneurs in early February. The conference concluded at the Playboy mansion February 3. Shortly after, The Department of Public Health received dozens of complaints of an illness post-DOMAINfest Global conference.

According to the L.A. Times, many of the affected pointed to the mansion as the origin of exposure.

Symptoms of the illness include respiratory problems, flu-like symptoms and pneumonia. TMZ reports that CBS2 in L.A. points to the DJ’s fog machine as a possible source of the outbreak.

The conference organizer, Mason Cole, urged, “Only medical authorities are qualified to identify this illness and investigate its ultimate source….It’s important not to speculate or make unfounded assumptions.”

The investigation is still pending.