Malia and Erik’s bitter divorce took a turn when Erik allegedly uploaded a 2024 video of Malia allegedly engaging in disturbing acts with the family dog, Ranger.
But that act could itself be illegal, especially if he indeed was holding onto the tape to hold it over her head, as the 38-year-old claims. Florida law “prohibits knowingly filming, distributing, or possessing qualifying pornographic material depicting prohibited sexual activity involving an animal,” Spencer Kuvin, chief legal officer and board-certified civil trial attorney at GOLDLAW in Florida, tells Radar.
“Any one of those acts can support a third-degree felony charge,” he said.
Malia could even possibly pursue extortion charges against her ex, especially if “the threats were intended to obtain money, an advantage, or compel her to do something or refrain from doing something against her will,” Kuvin continued.
In Florida, making malicious threats to injure someone’s reputation, expose a secret, bring disgrace, or accuse someone of a crime are all illegal.
According to the officer’s arrest report, “(Malia) stated the recordings were made in 2024, and that Erik had previously threatened her with the videos.”
Erik insisted that everyone in the home knew he had put up the cameras with hopes of catching a coin thief. However, Kuvin said that doesn’t matter in court.
“Knowing about a bedroom camera does not automatically establish consent to public dissemination,” the attorney revealed, adding that her “most direct statutory claim would likely be sexual cyberharassment.”
That could lead to penalties of $10,000 or more. However, it’s unknown if Malia plans to file any complaints against her ex.
Since the scandal, Malia’s friends and supporters flooded her Facebook feed with suggestions.
“Shouldn’t the husband be charged with possessing the video?” one person asked. “I read that it is from 2024, and he threatened her with it in the past and he didn’t turn it over to the police until they received reports and investigated. Seems Eric would have violated the law against possessing bestiality videos.”
Another person agreed, “The husband should be charged too, to be honest, for failing to report it. If he had it all this time and never reported it, why do it now? He is just as sick.”
A separate person argued, “Nobody, and I mean nobody, puts a secret camera on a ‘coin jar’.”
Since her arrest, Malia has been hinting at the couple’s dirty laundry on her social media.
At one point, her timeline shifts from lighthearted photos with family members to darker messages. According to some of the comments from people who identify as her friends, Erik was allegedly unfaithful to her – something Malia seemingly alludes to in several posts.
“I have seen and experienced a LOT of betrayal in my life, but the last year has been a true eye opener for me,” Malia posted in June. “If I see you out and I seem standoffiish/mean/ rude, accept it or don’t. Right now, it’s about me and my kids, everyone else can kick rocks barefoot forever!”