By The Daily Caller (U.S.) | Created at 2026-09-04 19:58:59 | Updated at 2026-09-25 09:54:25
2 weeks ago
Disturbing images have surfaced that appear to show suspended “Wheel of Fortune” announcer Jim Thornton exchanging messages in an alleged child pornography chatroom.
TMZ reported September 3 that a passenger aboard an American Airlines flight from Charlotte to Los Angeles in May reported seeing disturbing chatroom messages on the “Wheel of Fortune” announcer’s laptop.
The female passenger alleged the images and texts included a conversation that read, “Couple of cute boys and a hot little girl,” and “All-you-can-eat Boyfett,” allegedly referring to a restaurant where pedophiles could find underage kids.
Wheel of Fortune’s Jim Thornton: See Pedophilia Chatroom Photos Behind Suspension https://t.co/CWeGYmo9oP
— TMZ (@TMZ) September 3, 2026Other messages allegedly used the letters “CP” to reportedly reference child porn.
Thornton’s attorney, Allison Hart, issued a statement to TMZ claiming that the chatroom exchange was misunderstood.
She told the outlet that Thornton had “become active in suicide-prevention advocacy since losing a close family member to suicide two years ago, and he has spent time visiting chat rooms offering support to individuals suffering from suicidal ideation.”
Hart claimed her client visited the suicide prevention website 988lifeline.org along with the site’s chat forum, chat.988lifeline.org, and an acquaintance sent him a link to a different chatroom, lifeline.chat, which was a chatroom for people with pedophilic thoughts, according to TMZ.
Suspended #WheelofFortune announcer Jim Thornton was allegedly caught browsing a chatroom linked to pedophilia during a flight — but his attorney insists he did nothing wrong. 🚨
According to images, Thornton, 61, was reportedly seen on the chat for nearly an hour during a May… pic.twitter.com/7dNjcb2fna
Thornton claimed to have left the chatroom when he discovered what their content centered around, but the timestamps on the screen appear to show he was engaged in the chatroom for at least 57 minutes, according to TMZ.
Hart insisted that lifeline.chat is “not unlawful, there is no unlawful child pornography or other pedophilic content, and my client never viewed, downloaded or consumed any child pornography whether on that commercial flight in May or at any other time, according to TMZ.
(RELATED: ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Sidelines Announcer After Mysterious Plane Incident)
‘Wheel of Fortune’ announcer Jim Thornton was suspended reportedly after a fellow airline passenger photographed him looking at a pedophile support chat room. https://t.co/X9uadf3T21
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) September 4, 2026The passenger expressed her concern to a flight attendant and reportedly shared images of Thornton’s laptop with the flight crew, which prompted law enforcement officials to approach Thornton when the plane landed. TMZ reported that he was questioned and subsequently told he was free to leave.
Hart asserted that Thornton was not arrested or charged with any crime.
“In short, my client did nothing wrong,” she told TMZ.
Sony has since suspended Thornton from “Wheel of Fortune” and has scrubbed him from previously recorded and unreleased episodes of the show.
