Tommy Lee’s infamous safe—the one that housed a private intimate tape with his then-wife Pamela Anderson—has sold at auction for $2,560. According to Julien’s Auctions, the safe gained notoriety after it was stolen from the couple’s Malibu home in 1995.
The large black safe is personally owned by Lee and features a gold ornate trim design. Lee himself inscribed it with the words: “This is the unsafe that ruined my life! Tommy Lee.”
Julien’s Auctions described the safe in detail, “A large black safe, personally owned by Tommy Lee, signed and inscribed on the front of the safe in silver marker by Lee: ‘This is the unsafe that ruined my life! Tommy Lee.’ The front of safe features a gold ornate trim design, with a Sargent & Greenleaf front lock. The interior features carpeted shelves, an interior cork wall that features a label that reads ‘Remington 32.'”
A portion of the proceeds from the auction will benefit MusiCares, a charitable organization that provides assistance to musicians in need.
The 1995 theft was orchestrated by electrician Rand Gauthier, who had been fired from renovation work on the couple’s Malibu home and was owed money. Gauthier broke into the house and stole the safe using a dolly to transport it from the garage. The safe contained guns, jewelry, and a 54-minute home video that included intimate footage of Anderson and Lee. All That’s Interesting reported that Gauthier attempted to disguise himself as a dog in security footage by using a white yak fur rug over his head during the theft.
Once Gauthier obtained the tape, he brought it to Milton Ingley, a porn studio owner. With financial backing from porn mogul Louis “Butchie” Peraino, they made copies and distributed the tape widely, including through online sales. Anderson and Lee only realized the safe was missing in January 1996. They subsequently filed police reports and multiple lawsuits—most notably a $10 million civil suit in March 1996 against Penthouse magazine, Gauthier, and others involved.
Despite their legal efforts, the tape became an early viral internet sensation without yielding any profit to the couple. Men’s Health noted that Anderson has repeatedly stated they made no money from the stolen tape. She emphasized the personal violation and damage it caused to their marriage. The couple’s efforts to contain the scandal involved hiring private investigators and sending associates to track down those distributing copies. By then, the tape was widely circulated.
It wasn’t until 2002 that the couple saw some legal vindication. Prime Timer documented that the couple won a legal ruling awarding them damages of $740,000 each after suing the distributing company Internet Entertainment Group (IEG). The company did not defend itself in court. This case remains one of the most infamous celebrity sex tape scandals of the 1990s, notable for its early role in the internet’s impact on privacy and celebrity culture.
