How did Don Cornelius die? 'Soul Train' creator's death revisited amid recent 'Secrets of Playboy' allegations

Late TV producer Don Cornelius was recently accused of assaulting two young women several years ago. The allegations were made during Monday’s episode of Secrets of Playboy, an A&E docuseries that highlights the dark truths of Hugh Hefner’s Playboy empire.

During the episode, former “bunny mother” P.J. Masten mentioned that the Soul Train creator was a Playboy VIP and a popular face in the mansion.

Masten claimed that one night Cornelius spotted two new recruits and allegedly asked them to join him in the VIP section before inviting them to a private party at his own house. However, the girls reportedly went missing for three days:

"These two young girls got in his Rolls-Royce, went up to his house and we didn't hear from them for three days. We couldn't figure out where they were."

She alleged that one of the girls called the mansion for help three days later and claimed they were held at Cornelius’ residence against their will. Playboy head of security Joe Piastro went to rescue the girls and reportedly found them "bloodied, battered [and] drugged."

The bunny mother stated that the girls were allegedly locked inside separate rooms, beaten, tortured and assaulted for three days. She also claimed that no legal complaint was filed as per Playboy policy and the situation was handled internally.

The girls were reportedly asked to remain quiet and avoid any contact with the press. The latest allegations come nearly a decade after Cornelius' death in 2012.

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Don Cornelius’ cause of death explored

Don Cornelius passed away due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound (Image via Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)

Don Cornelius began his career in the entertainment industry after joining Chicago radio station WVON as an announcer, news reporter, and disc jockey in 1966. He later joined WCIU-TV as the host of A Black's View of the News and launched Soul Train in 1970.

The media personality gained immense recognition with the show and went on to become a television icon. He was also praised for giving exposure to African-American musicians like Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Marvin Gaye, among others.

On February 1, 2012, Cornelius was found wounded with a gunshot at his Mulholland Drive home after police officers responded to a report of a shooting incident. He was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and pronounced dead on arrival.

According to the Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner, the TV producer died due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Following his death, former Soul Train host Shemar Moore said Don Cornelius was suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease and his health was in decline prior to his demise.

The autopsy report later confirmed that Cornelius had suffered an aneurysm nearly 15 years before his death that caused him to have seizures. The condition reportedly developed after he underwent a complicated 21-hour brain operation in 1982 to correct congenital deformity in his cerebral arteries.

Don Cornelius’ autopsy report also noted that around 3:00 AM on February 1, 2012, the 75-year-old called his son and said, "I don't know how long I can take this," before pulling the gun on himself. His son, Tony Cornelius, later found him unresponsive in a chair.

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Masten's assault allegations against Don Cornelius; Tony responds

Tony Cornelius denied all the allegations made against his father Don Cornelius (Image via Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

In the latest episode of the Secrets of Playboy docuseries, former “bunny mother” P.J. Masten claimed that Don Cornelius allegedly assaulted two young girls nearly two decades ago. She also mentioned that the crime was hidden from the press:

"It was probably the most horrific story I've ever heard at Playboy. This story is the story of a massive cleanup that never hit the press."

Masten shared that she was enraged that Cornelius never faced any legal consequences for his alleged actions:

"The thing that was so outrageous to me, that made me so angry was that no charges were filed and Don Cornelius' privileges as a number one VIP were never suspended. He was back in the club the following week."

Masten even blamed herself for failing to come forward with the story at the time. In response to the allegations, Cornelius’ son told People that the accusations were an example of “salaciousness" and the revelation was an "unbelievable story without real proof."

Meanwhile, the Secrets of Playboy docuseries also issued an on-screen disclaimer informing viewers that "the vast majority of the allegations" made on the show "have not been the subject of criminal investigations or charges” and “do not constitute proof of guilt."