A couple who appeared on ABC’s reality show Wife Swap and later concocted a fantastic hoax that drew worldwide attention has been pardoned by the Colorado governor.
In October 2009, Richard and Mayumi Heene claimed that their 6-year-old son, Falcon, was trapped in a mylar balloon that soared into the sky.
The sensational story saw police and National Guard helicopters called out to follow the homemade helium device for more than two hours and 50 miles people around the world watched live. Watch Katie Couric’s CBS News report from that day below.
As it turned out, the son was hiding in the family’s attic. The child’s mother later confessed that the family planned the entire story in order to make them more marketable for a reality TV show.
After the confession, the Heenes were ordered by a court to pay $36,000 in restitution and spent one month in jail...
In October 2009, Richard and Mayumi Heene claimed that their 6-year-old son, Falcon, was trapped in a mylar balloon that soared into the sky.
The sensational story saw police and National Guard helicopters called out to follow the homemade helium device for more than two hours and 50 miles people around the world watched live. Watch Katie Couric’s CBS News report from that day below.
As it turned out, the son was hiding in the family’s attic. The child’s mother later confessed that the family planned the entire story in order to make them more marketable for a reality TV show.
After the confession, the Heenes were ordered by a court to pay $36,000 in restitution and spent one month in jail...
- 12/24/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
The parents behind the Balloon Boy hoax are selling the infamous aircraft for charity.
Richard and Mayumi Heene have set up the website http://www.balloonboyflyingsaucer.com/ where the balloon is being auctioned — with proceeds going to earthquake and tsunami recovery efforts in Japan.
Balloon, boy rivet nation
The couple explain in a YouTube video how the saucer works and why it originally was built it. Richard Heene also says that if the winning bidder pays $10,000 or more, they'll also receive the balloon's original plans; the winning bidder paying $50,000 or more will get photographs of the Heene family building the balloon; and the bidder who pays $100,000 or more will get a DVD of the Heenes building the craft in their living room.
Read More >...
Richard and Mayumi Heene have set up the website http://www.balloonboyflyingsaucer.com/ where the balloon is being auctioned — with proceeds going to earthquake and tsunami recovery efforts in Japan.
Balloon, boy rivet nation
The couple explain in a YouTube video how the saucer works and why it originally was built it. Richard Heene also says that if the winning bidder pays $10,000 or more, they'll also receive the balloon's original plans; the winning bidder paying $50,000 or more will get photographs of the Heene family building the balloon; and the bidder who pays $100,000 or more will get a DVD of the Heenes building the craft in their living room.
Read More >...
- 6/2/2011
- by Robyn Ross
- TVGuide - Breaking News
If Andy Warhol were alive today, he'd be shocked to see the limits to which we've pushed the whole "15 minutes" theory.
Richard and Mayumi Heene, the couple who spent a month in jail for inadvertently orchestrating a massive media hoax in 2009 when they lied and said their six-year-old son was carried off in a balloon, are back in the news again.
TMZ reports the couple is auctioning off the iconic silver balloon. But it's for a good cause.
The family posted a video saying proceeds of the auction will go to tsunami relief efforts in Japan. So how high do they think the auction will go? Richard Heene says they'll circumvent the whole bidding thing for the "purchase now" price of $1,000,000.
A small price for a piece of fame.
If you're skeptical about the couple's motivations, we can hardly blame you, but the Heenes say they've already hired an attorney to distribute the possible profits.
Richard and Mayumi Heene, the couple who spent a month in jail for inadvertently orchestrating a massive media hoax in 2009 when they lied and said their six-year-old son was carried off in a balloon, are back in the news again.
TMZ reports the couple is auctioning off the iconic silver balloon. But it's for a good cause.
The family posted a video saying proceeds of the auction will go to tsunami relief efforts in Japan. So how high do they think the auction will go? Richard Heene says they'll circumvent the whole bidding thing for the "purchase now" price of $1,000,000.
A small price for a piece of fame.
If you're skeptical about the couple's motivations, we can hardly blame you, but the Heenes say they've already hired an attorney to distribute the possible profits.
- 6/2/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Richard and Mayumi Heene didn't quite get their "Christmas miracle." The couple who wanted America to believe that their 6-year-old son, Falcon, was adrift in a runaway balloon both were sentenced to jail time for crafting a hoax that first captivated then horrified the nation. Before learning his fate, a visibly shaken Richard offered a choked-up mea culpa: "I want to reiterate that I'm very, very sorry, and I'm going to apologize to all the rescue workers." His lawyer, David Lane, also said Richard accepted full responsibility and begged for leniency for his wife. "If anyone has to go to jail here, your honor, it's Richard Heene...Do not send his...
- 12/23/2009
- E! Online
The reality TV couple behind the 'balloon boy' drama have been ordered to pay $42,000 (£26,250) to the state of Colorado to cover the costs of their October hoax.
Richard and Mayumi Heene, who appeared on U.S. show Wife Swap, have pleaded guilty to falsely reporting that their six-year-old son was trapped inside a flying experimental balloon, which became untethered in their back yard. The boy was later found to be hiding in the family's garage.
The Heenes must now hand over the sum in restitution to the agencies which contributed to the rescue attempt. The money will be split between the police, the national guard and the Federal Aviation Administration, reports the Denver Post.
However, the Heenes' lawyer has requested receipts from the Larimer County District Attorney's office to justify the amount.
The husband and wife is next due in court on 23 December to answer one felony count of attempting to influence a public servant, and one misdemeanour count of false reporting to authorities, respectively.
Richard and Mayumi Heene, who appeared on U.S. show Wife Swap, have pleaded guilty to falsely reporting that their six-year-old son was trapped inside a flying experimental balloon, which became untethered in their back yard. The boy was later found to be hiding in the family's garage.
The Heenes must now hand over the sum in restitution to the agencies which contributed to the rescue attempt. The money will be split between the police, the national guard and the Federal Aviation Administration, reports the Denver Post.
However, the Heenes' lawyer has requested receipts from the Larimer County District Attorney's office to justify the amount.
The husband and wife is next due in court on 23 December to answer one felony count of attempting to influence a public servant, and one misdemeanour count of false reporting to authorities, respectively.
- 12/23/2009
- WENN
The reality TV couple behind last month's 'balloon boy' drama in Colorado have pleaded guilty to duping police and law officials.
Richard and Mayumi Heene, who starred in U.S. show Wife Swap, were accused of falsely reporting that their six-year-old son was stuck in a flying experimental balloon, which became untethered in their back yard.
Their son was later found to be hiding in the family's garage.
The husband and wife will face sentencing on one felony count of attempting to influence a public servant, and one misdemeanour count of false reporting to authorities, respectively.
Both parents face jail time and fines.
Another hearing has been set for 23 December.
Richard and Mayumi Heene, who starred in U.S. show Wife Swap, were accused of falsely reporting that their six-year-old son was stuck in a flying experimental balloon, which became untethered in their back yard.
Their son was later found to be hiding in the family's garage.
The husband and wife will face sentencing on one felony count of attempting to influence a public servant, and one misdemeanour count of false reporting to authorities, respectively.
Both parents face jail time and fines.
Another hearing has been set for 23 December.
- 11/13/2009
- WENN
Two-time Wife Swap star Richard Heene pled guilty to a felony after turning himself in to police yesterday, and will get probation. That's the result of the attention-seeking hoax he committed last month, which he lied about on TV while his kid puked. The AP reports that he pled guilty "to a felony charge of attempting to influence a public servant" and his wife "Mayumi Heene was expected to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge...
- 11/13/2009
- by Andy Dehnart
- Reality Blurred
The reality TV couple behind last month's 'balloon boy' drama in Colorado have been charged with duping police and law officials.
Richard and Mayumi Heene, who starred in U.S. show Wife Swap, have been accused of falsely reporting that their six-year-old son was stuck in a flying experimental balloon, which became untethered in their back yard. Their son was later found to be hiding in the family's garage.
Both parents face face jail time and fines.
Richard Heene has been charged with one count of attempting to influence a public servant, while his wife is charged with one count of false reporting to authorities.
Richard and Mayumi Heene, who starred in U.S. show Wife Swap, have been accused of falsely reporting that their six-year-old son was stuck in a flying experimental balloon, which became untethered in their back yard. Their son was later found to be hiding in the family's garage.
Both parents face face jail time and fines.
Richard Heene has been charged with one count of attempting to influence a public servant, while his wife is charged with one count of false reporting to authorities.
- 11/12/2009
- WENN
The mother of the "Balloon Boy" has finally come clean, admitting the whole ridiculous fiasco was the hoax everybody knew it was anyway.In a search warrant affidavit that was released today, Mayumi Heene told sheriff's deputies she and Richard "knew all along that Falcon was hiding in the residence."In the document, it says "Mayumi described that she and Richard Heene devised this hoax approximately two weeks earlier ... she and Richard had instructed their...
- 10/23/2009
- TMZ
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