Pornstar Nacho Vidal arrested for manslaughter after man dies inhaling toad venom at mystic ritual
A porn star is being investigated on suspicion of manslaughter after he allegedly organized a spiritual ritual where a man died after inhaling toad venom.
Nacho Vidal, 46, along with two others, was reportedly detained last week in the Valencia region of Spain after he was linked to the death of a photographer who inhaled the poison of an endangered North American toad during a "mystic ritual" which reportedly took place at Vidal's home back in July. The victim was identified as Jose Luis Abad by the Spanish media who allegedly used a pipe to inhale the substance that was secreted from the glands of the toad.
"The police operation began following the victim's death during the celebration of a mystic ritual based on the inhalation of venom of the bufo alvarius toad," a police statement said. The species of toad in question is also known as Colorado River toad, found in the Sonoran Desert. It uses the powerful toxin, known by chemists as 5-MeO-DMT, to defend itself against predators in Mexico and south-western US states. The toxin has earned the nickname God molecule as it is said to induce an intense psychedelic state when consumed. It can cause a psychedelic state when ingested, similar to ayahuasca, a hallucinogen used in shamanic rituals.
Vidal, whose real name is Ignacio Jordà, has previously promoted the use of the toad's venom via YouTube videos after a 2019 study suggested the substance may have therapeutic properties including easing anxiety and depression. However, the study concluded that the toxin's effect on humans is not fully known. Apparently, Vidal started advocating for inhaling the vapor from the venom after trying it himself to remedy his battle with depression and addiction. Vidal claimed in a 2016 YouTube video that the effects helped him "reconnect with his soul" and "with the Earth and Mother Nature." After that, he suggested that his friends also try the venom to "help them clean up their acts."
Vidal and the two other suspects who were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and violating public health laws have been released provisionally. Authorities, through their 11-month-long investigation into Vidal, who has featured in hundreds of pornographic movies, found out that the ritual practice of ingesting the toad's venom was carried out as offering medical benefits. But, a police statement said, the "apparently harmless ancestral ritual" posed a "serious health risk" and appealed to people who were "easily influenced, vulnerable or who were seeking help for illnesses or addictions using alternative methods."
Vidal's lawyer Daniel Salvador said his client "considers himself to be innocent" and was "very upset by the death of this person". He further added that the victim had "previously tried that substance and wanted to try it again" in a "comfortable" environment. "With all due respect to the dead man and his family, Nacho maintains that the consumption [of the venom] was completely voluntary," the lawyer told La Vanguardia newspaper.
The adult film star boasts 363,000 Instagram followers and runs his own website selling sex-related products which includes toys, massage oils, and lubricants.