California man’s sex life with wife was ruined following painful encounter in Las Vegas hotel room, lawsuit claims
A wealthy California man claims his sex life has been ruined after a painful encounter at the luxurious Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.
Michael Farchi, 62, says he was sleeping in the Palazzo Tower during the Christmas holidays of 2023 when he woke up with a burning pain and realised a scorpion had bitten his testicles.
“He felt multiple stabbing sensations in his hand and groin area,” according to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Michael Farchi and his wife, Batia.
Farchi reports that he experiences PTSD, erectile dysfunction and other lasting effects. His wife is also suing for loss of consortium, saying that his and his wife’s sex life has been affected by the incident. The couple share a beautiful $1.2 million home in Agoura Hills, California.
One of Farchi’s California attorneys, Brian Virag of My Bed Bug Lawyer, explained 8 News Now why they also filed a claim on behalf of Mr. Farchi’s wife.
A California man claims his sex life with his wife was ruined after a painful encounter at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas
Michael Farchi, 62, who visited during the 2023 Christmas break, said he was bitten in the groin area while sleeping in the Palazzo Tower, and woke up with burning pain. He took a photo of the scorpion that bit him while he was still in his underwear
“She claims their sexual relationship has been significantly affected since the surgery,” he said.
“I didn’t know what it was,” Farchi said. “It felt like a sharp knife or glass was sticking in me.”
Farchi explained that he immediately reached under the covers to find the scorpion and then alerted hotel staff.
In court documents filed on August 27, the plaintiffs allege the hotel breached its duty of care by failing to provide a clean and safe room free of pests, including bedbugs and scorpions.
The attorney provided 8 News Now with photos of the scorpion grabbing his underwear.
“It doesn’t really matter how it got there,” Virag said. “The fact that it was there and that they were aware of previous problems with scorpions on that property, that’s clearly the important thing here.”
One of Farchi’s attorneys in California, Brian Virag of My Bed Bug Lawyer, explained to 8 News Now why they were also filing a claim on behalf of Mr. Farchi’s wife. “She claims that their sexual relationship has been significantly compromised since the sting,” he said.
Farchi alleges in his lawsuit that the Venetian Resort was aware of a previous infestation of venomous scorpions.
“We believe that at the time this incident occurred, work was underway,” Virag said.
Farchi provided 8 News Now with a medical incident report he filed with Palazzo on Dec. 26. The report details the incident, including his suite number and the note he wrote to hotel staff: “bitten by a scorpion in my groin/testicles.”
He also said that the hotel did not take him seriously and even ridiculed him.
“(They) were just holding their groin area and laughing about it,” he said. “It was really embarrassing.”
According to the complaint, he was diagnosed with “Poisoning: Scorpion Sting” by Summerlin Hospital.
According to the complaint, Farchi was treated at UCLA Medical Center, where doctors diagnosed physical injuries, including erectile dysfunction, as a result of the scorpion sting.
“A lot of consequences for my family, my work – everything,” Farchi said in an interview with 8 News Now.
Farchi is requesting a jury trial to determine damages for his past and future medical expenses, his pain and suffering, his mental anguish, loss of companionship and loss of enjoyment of life, as stated in the lawsuit.
The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort in sunny Las Vegas, Nevada. Sleep tight!
Farchi reports that he is experiencing PTSD, erectile dysfunction and other lasting effects. His wife is also suing for loss of companionship, claiming that his and his wife’s sex life has been affected by the incident.
A statement from the Venetian said: “To protect the privacy of our guests, we are unable to comment on this incident. The resort has protocols in place for all incidents and we can confirm that these were followed in this incident.”
The scorpion resembles the Arizona bark scorpion, the only scorpion in North America considered dangerous to humans.
The venom of the bark scorpion is so strong that it can cause severe symptoms similar to anaphylaxis. This species is common in the southwestern United States.
Farchi says he lives in a $1.2 million house in Agoura Hills, a relatively affluent neighborhood in the Golden State.