A pimp whose brothel featured in a TV series and who fashioned himself as a Donald Trump-style political candidate has been found dead.
Dennis Hof was found dead by porn star Ron Jeremy and a friend who went to wake him for a meeting on Tuesday, hours after his weekend-long 72nd birthday party, his campaign manager Chuck Muth said on Twitter.
He appeared to have died in his sleep at his private residence at his Love Ranch brothel, west of Las Vegas, he added.
The strip club owner, who ran five legal brothels in Nevada, styled himself as America’s best-known pimp after appearing on TV show Cathouse.
In June he won the nomination contest for a Republican state assembly seat, supported by Mr Trump associates Roger Stone and Grover Norquist, and evangelical Christians who said they voted for him because they believed he would clean up politics.
Dennis Hof was found in his house on the Love Ranch in Nevada
He nicknamed himself the “Trump from Pahrump”, saying in June: “This really is the Trump movement. People will set aside for a moment their moral beliefs, their religious beliefs, to get somebody that is honest in office.”
Mr Jeremy, who attended Mr Hog’s party on Monday night, said when he and his friend found Mr Hof’s body his eyes “were not full” and his skin felt cold.
“He was totally stiff. And I’m saying ‘Honey, we really have a problem here’.”
Nye County Sheriff Sharon Wehrly, who is also the county coroner, said she saw Mr Hof at his birthday party at a local casino-hotel with more than 100 friends, including former sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Ms Wehrly said: “He was sitting on a stool talking with people when I left about 10. I guess that’s partying at 72.”
She said there was no initial indication of foul play but her office is investigating.
Mr Arpaio said Mr Hof was in good spirits when he left the party at about 10pm, having given a speech.“Boy, that’s shocking,” he said.
“The thing I liked about him: He was with Trump and was for the Second Amendment and lower taxes.”
Mr Hof’s Love Ranch brothel outside Pahrump is where NBA player and Khloe Kardashian’s ex-boyfriend Lamar Odom was found unconscious in 2015.Khloe Kardashian’s ex Lamar Odom was found unconscious at the Love Ranch
The brothel was temporarily shut down twice this year after regulators said Mr Hof failed to renew licences and get proper renovation permits.
About 20 brothels operate in Nevada, the only US state where prostitution is legal.
As part of Mr Hof’s campaign he fought against outlawing brothels.
He had been accused of sexual assault on at least four occasions, including an allegation made in September, which he denied.
The brothel owner wrote a book called The Art of the Pimp – a play on Mr Trump’s book The Art of the Deal.
His name will remain on the November midterms ballot as they have already been mailed to voters, but signs will be posted at polling station notifying voters of his death.
