Amidst Disney’s opposition to Florida’s falsely monikered “Don’t Say Gay” bill – which aims to protect children from exposure to harmful gender ideologies and activism – the company’s long history of employing individuals arrested for a variety of child sex crimes has come under scrutiny.
Initially, Disney executives stayed silent on the legislation – which bans teachers from pushing alternative gender identities and LGBTQ activism on Kindergarteners through third-grade students – before being pressured by its left-wing workers to oppose the bill.
“Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law,” claimed the company in a public statement.
“Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that,” Disney added in a move likely aimed at appeasing its protesting employees.
Disney, however, has been plagued by employees arrested for a variety of sex crimes against children, including trying to meet minors for sex and possessing child pornography.
A 2014 report from CNN had highlighted the company’s pedophile problem, noting that at least 35 Disney World employees had been arrested in the eight-year period since 2006 over alleged child sex offenses.
“So far, a total of 32 have been convicted, with the remaining cases pending,” explained CNN at the time of publication.
Listed below are some of the most heinous pedophiles and child sex offenders, all of whom were employed by Disney, with most positions granting them unprecedented access to children.
Disney Cruise Line Server: Molestation Of A Minor.
Milton Braganza, a 33-year-old dining room server from Goa, India, reportedly grabbed an 11-year-old girl’s breast and forcibly kissed her in an elevator aboard the Disney Dream ship.
Dawn Taplin, a former Disney Cruise Line security officer and 17-year veteran police officer, described the troubling footage of the incident.
“It’s not the first time I’ve cried on cases. But she’s literally trying to get away from him. You see her kicking her legs, trying to pull away from him.”
After notifying the ship’s second-in-command about the molestation, Taplin offered to involve state and federal law enforcement.
“I was ordered not to make any phone calls, do anything at all. Nothing. Period,” said Taplin, believing she would be fired if she disobeyed the instruction. “Just keep your mouth shut,” she claims she was told.
The ship departed with Braganza on board, and as a result, he was questioned by Bahamian authorities, where he admitted “I touched her on her right breast with my left hand,” according to a police report. The girl’s grandmother told authorities she didn’t want the crime investigated further.
Despite the admission, Braganza was let go and Disney paid for the man’s airfare back to his native India.
Disney Resort Manager: Child Pornography.
Cedric Cuthbert, a night shift custodial manager at Disney’s Port Orleans resort, downloaded child porn onto his work computer while writing a sermon for his church, where he was the pastor. Cuthbert pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced to six years in prison.
Disney World Gift Shop Clerk: Child Pornography.
Paul Fazio, who worked in an Animal Kingdom Lodge gift shop, was convicted of downloading videos showing “multiple scenes of nude prepubescent children engaging in sexual activity with adults and other children,” according to the police report.
Disney World Security Officer: Child Pornography.
William Marrero-Maldonado, who worked for Disney security, was arrested in April after an Osceola County Sheriff’s Office investigation claimed that he was downloading child porn videos. He was found guilty of the charges.
Disney World Lifeguard: ‘Sexting’ With A Minor.
Xavier Jackson, 27, worked as a lifeguard at the Polynesian Resort for Walt Disney. He sent inappropriate photos of himself and messages to an undercover detective who pretended to be a 14-year-old girl, according to investigators.
He was charged with three counts of transmitting harmful material to a minor and one count of unlawful communication,
Disney World Employee: Sex With A Minor.
Patrick Holgerson, 32, was one of 22 arrests made during a child sex sting operation carried out by Lake County Sheriff’s Cyber Crime Unit.
Individuals were caught attempting to have sex with underage children.
Disney World Employee: Sex With A Minor.
Joel Torres, 32, was one of 22 arrests made during a child sex sting operation carried out by Lake County Sheriff’s Cyber Crime Unit.
Torres brought condoms to a home where he believed he would be meeting a 14-year-old. He was charged with soliciting a child for sexual acts, traveling to meet a minor and attempted lewd and lascivious battery.
Disney World Service Manager: Sex With A Minor.
Robert Kingsolver, 49, was one of 22 arrests made during a child sex sting operation carried out by Lake County Sheriff’s Cyber Crime Unit.A service manager who oversaw ride repairs at the Magic Kingdom, Kingsolver was found guilty for attempting to meet up with a 14-year-old girl to have sex. Instead, when he showed up at the house, he was met by detectives.
Disney World Ride Operator: Possessing Child Porn.
32-year-old Justin Hazan, who operated Disney World’s Millennium Falcon ride, admitted to downloading and possessing child pornography.
“During an initial preview of his computer equipment, detectives located files depicting child pornography with victims as young as 4-5 years old. They seized the equipment for further analysis,” detectives said in a news release.
Hazan was charged with 15 counts of possession of child pornography.
Disney World Food Runner: Possessing Child Porn.
36-year-old Arlandres Sims, who was roommates with a fellow Disney World employee, worked as a food runner at the Animal Kingdom Resort. He admitted to downloading and possessing child pornography and was charged with 25 counts of possession of child pornography.
Disney Cruise Line Cabin Steward: Molestation of A Minor.
Ahmed Sofyan was arrested in April 2014 on suspicion of molesting a 13-year-old cruise passenger, locking the girl in an unoccupied cabin while docked at Port Canaveral, Florida to do so. He was sentenced to five years in prison.
