Dennis Hof, owner of the Moonlite Bunny Ranch and other Nevada brothels, died on October 16, 2018, at the age of 72. His death occurred at Love Ranch, one of his legal brothels in Nevada, two days after his birthday celebration.

Hof's Passing and Discovery

Hof, an American businessman and politician, was found dead on Tuesday, October 16, 2018. His campaign manager, Chuck Muth, stated that Hof died quietly in his sleep. Pornography star Ron Jeremy discovered Hof that morning when he went to wake him for a meeting in Pahrump. The Nye County sheriff's department confirmed Hof's death and stated that an investigation into the cause of death would be conducted.

Hof's death followed a birthday party held on Monday night, October 15. Attendees at the celebration included Ron Jeremy, former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, and anti-tax activist Grover Norquist. Muth reported that there was no indication Hof was unwell prior to his death, and that he had been "having the time of his life" at the event.

Brothel Empire and Public Profile

Dennis Allan Hof was born on October 14, 1946, in Phoenix, Arizona, and died in Crystal, Nevada. He was an entrepreneur, brothel owner, and television personality. Before entering the brothel business, Hof owned gas stations in Arizona and later in Nevada.

Hof owned seven legal brothels in Nevada. He purchased and remodeled The Moonlite Bunny Ranch in 1992, which was originally founded in 1955. He later acquired Kitty's, renaming it The Love Ranch North. Hof also purchased two brothels from Joe Richards: the Cherry Patch, renamed the Love Ranch Vegas, and the Cherry Patch II, renamed the Alien Cathouse. On September 8, 2018, it was announced that the Alien Cathouse had been sold to Raman Sharma.

Despite Nevada laws prohibiting brothel advertising, Hof maintained a high public profile to generate publicity for his establishments. He and the Bunny Ranch were featured in the HBO series Cathouse, which aired for two seasons.

Political Aspirations and Legacy

Hof was a Republican candidate in 2018 for the Nevada Assembly from the 36th district. He was posthumously elected to the position less than one month after his death, succeeding James Oscarson. He had previously been affiliated with the Libertarian party from 2015 to 2016 before becoming a Republican in 2016.

Hof credited Donald Trump for his candidacy, stating, "It's all because Donald Trump was the Christopher Columbus for me. He found the way, and I jumped on it."

Hof's legacy as a brothel owner divided sex workers. Some women who had worked for him at the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, the Kit Kat Ranch, or his other establishments expressed feeling demeaned or abused. One former employee stated, "I don’t believe he respected the women he worked with. He had a tendency towards violence, both sexual and psychological." Another, Ruby Rose, tweeted, "Hof allowed horrible things to happen to friends of mine, and I firmly believe the industry is better off without him."

Conversely, other employees expressed admiration for Hof. Alice Little, a Bunny Ranch employee, called him "a visionary" and tweeted that he had a dream "to give women an empowering environment to own their sexuality." Little described Hof as "a mentor, role model, friend, and like a family member to so many of us." Hof frequently presented himself as a mentor and role model in his public statements.

Hof was in a domestic partnership with Heidi Fleiss from 2009 to 2018 and had two children.

Key Facts

  • Dennis Hof died on October 16, 2018, at the age of 72.
  • He was found dead at Love Ranch, one of his legal brothels in Nevada.
  • Hof owned seven legal brothels in Nevada, including the Moonlite Bunny Ranch.
  • He was a Republican candidate for the Nevada Assembly and was posthumously elected.
  • Pornography star Ron Jeremy discovered Hof's body.
  • Hof's death occurred two days after his birthday party, which was attended by Ron Jeremy, Joe Arpaio, and Grover Norquist.