The reality of Lords' age did not come to light until a federal investigation in 1986 exposed her fraudulent identification documents. The revelation that a major mainstream adult publication had distributed images of an underage minor sent shockwaves through the legal and publishing industries.
The news sent shockwaves through Hollywood and the adult industry. The damage was catastrophic. The withdrawal of her films and the September 1984 Penthouse issue—now classified as illegal child pornography—cost the industry millions of dollars. To possess a copy of that magazine with the centrefold intact became a federal crime. Traci Lords was immediately blacklisted by the adult entertainment world, blamed for the massive financial losses and potential legal jeopardy she had caused everyone associated with her work. traci lords 1984 penthouse hot
, which forced her resignation as Miss America, and the centerfold appearance of , who was later revealed to be a minor at the time. The September 1984 Penthouse Issue The reality of Lords' age did not come
: Notably, this same issue also contained the unauthorized nude photographs of Vanessa Williams , the first African-American Miss America , which led to Williams resigning her crown. The damage was catastrophic