Spanish Porn Star Arrested in Connection to Toad Venom Death
In “Can’t Make This Up If You Tried” news: A popular Spanish porn star has been arrested following a July 2019 death involving toad venom.
The Guardian reports porn star Nacho Vidal, who also sells scented candles modeled after a specific part of his anatomy and two other suspects were recently arrested “on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter and violating public health laws.”
The Guardia Civil released a statement following the arrests saying, “Officers began the investigation after the death of a person during a mystical ritual involving the inhalation of vapors from the venom of the bufo alvarius toad. At the conclusion of an 11-month investigation, we have been able to establish that an offense of involuntary manslaughter and a public health offense had occurred, allegedly committed by those who organized and presided over the ritual.”
The statement continued, “This was a commonly practiced activity carried out for therapeutic or medicinal ends, but which posed a serious threat to public health despite being dressed up as what appeared to be an apparently inoffensive ancestral ritual.”
The Guardian notes the bufo alvarius toad “possesses a very powerful toxin that it uses to defend itself against predators.” The outlet also notes this toxin is psychedelic in nature and has been used by past medical researchers as a way to potentially treat depression and anxiety.
Vidal maintains his innocence, with his attorney saying in a statement, “Nacho is very upset by the death of this person, but he considers himself to be innocent. With all due respect to the dead man and his family, Nacho maintains that the consumption [of the venom] was completely voluntary.”
