Questions remain about the investigation involving former Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton. A woman who said she saw disturbing messages on his laptop during a flight earlier this year claims federal investigators have not contacted her. The FBI has not confirmed whether it is investigating the matter.
A woman who reported Jim Thornton’s alleged inappropriate messages says investigators have not contacted her
According to TMZ, sources close to the woman said the LAPD told her the FBI would contact her after she reported the incident. However, she says no one from the federal agency has reached out.
The FBI has not confirmed whether it is investigating the matter. A representative told the outlet on Friday, “The FBI does not, as a matter of policy, confirm or deny the existence of investigations.”
The woman claimed she spotted messages on Thornton’s laptop while he was flying on American Airlines from Charlotte to Los Angeles in May. She took photos of messages that mentioned “cute boys” and a “hot little girl.” Another message reportedly referenced “All-you-can-eat Boyfett,” which the passenger understood as a reference to a restaurant associated with underage children.
The passenger also noticed a message mentioning “CP,” which she believed referred to child pornography. She eventually alerted a flight attendant and showed the crew her photos. According to TMZ’s sources, the captain then contacted authorities, and officers waited at Los Angeles International Airport when the plane landed.
The woman gave an LAPD officer a statement and was reportedly told that her information would be forwarded to the FBI, which would contact her. According to TMZ, that follow-up has not happened.
Thornton was reportedly questioned by authorities after the flight but was not arrested or charged. His attorney has maintained that Thornton “did nothing wrong” and said he left the chat after realizing what it involved. Thornton was subsequently fired from Wheel of Fortune following an internal investigation by Sony Pictures Television Studios.
For now, the FBI has not confirmed whether an investigation exists. Its statement leaves the status of any potential federal inquiry unclear.
