The notorious safe that once contained Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson's stolen sex tape has found a new owner after going under the hammer at Julien's Auctions' "Played, Worn & Torn" event.
The Auction That Made Headlines
Despite initial estimates valuing the safe between $5,000 and $7,000, the final hammer price reached just $2,560. A portion of the proceeds from the sale will benefit the charitable organisation MusiCares, which supports musicians in times of need.
What made this particular lot so compelling was the personal touch from the Mötley Crüe drummer himself. Lee had inscribed a message in silver ink on the safe's front, reading: "This is the safe that ruined my life! Tommy Lee."
The Saga Behind the Safe
The safe became central to one of Hollywood's most infamous scandals. Anderson and Lee met in 1994 and married the following year in early 1995. Their relationship produced two sons before ending in divorce during 1998, the same year Lee received a six-month jail sentence for assaulting Anderson.
The couple's private sex tape was reportedly filmed during their honeymoon and later stolen from Lee's Malibu mansion in 1995 while the property underwent renovations. The theft occurred after Lee had fired electrician Rand Gauthier, who was allegedly owed $20,000 by the couple.
Gauthier, a former adult film star, broke into the home and emptied the safe's contents. According to police reports, the stolen items included:
- An AK-47 assault rifle and other firearms
- Expensive jewellery including Rolex and Cartier watches
- Anderson's white bikini from their beach wedding
- Family photographs
- The eight-minute sex tape
The Aftermath and Lasting Impact
Gauthier used his industry connections to sell the tape online, with VHS copies of "Pamela's Hardcore Sex Video" retailing for $59.99 and shipping worldwide. This marked the first instance of a celebrity sex tape being distributed via the internet, predating Kim Kardashian's similar experience by years.
Lee and Anderson subsequently sued Internet Entertainment Group, one of the companies profiting from the video. Although they reached a settlement, the couple never received compensation as the business declared bankruptcy.
The entire saga inspired the 2022 Hulu drama "Pam & Tommy", featuring Lily James and Sebastian Stan as the celebrity couple. While Lee commented on the series, noting "we broke the internet first," Anderson has emphasised that the production proceeded without her permission or involvement.
The safe's auction represents the latest chapter in a story that continues to fascinate, serving as a physical reminder of how private moments became public property in the digital age.
