What first seemed like a safe, empowering space became something far more troubling for many who entered it.
"Big Girls Wanted: Escaping Pearadise" premieres June 10 on ID and @hbomax#EscapingPearadiseonID
As allegations against Pearadise spread online, founder Stefan Wilhelmy says he felt unable to share his side of the story.
In this clip, founder Stefan Wilhelmy responds to some of those allegations.
Watch “Big Girls Wanted: Escaping Pearadise” June 10 on ID and stream on
Stefan Wilhelmy says Pearadise was built to celebrate plus-size women and create a community rooted in acceptance.
But as the movement grew, some members began questioning the motivations behind the man who started it.
Watch “Big Girls Wanted: Escaping Pearadise” June 10 on
Former members say the pressure didn’t happen all at once.
They describe a culture where expectations gradually became normalized, until some began questioning what they had accepted as ordinary.
Watch “Big Girls Wanted: Escaping Pearadise” June 10 on ID and stream on
Ashley wanted the life Derricka Harwell had built.
When she discovered the self-made entrepreneur on social media, she saw someone who seemed to have everything she hoped to achieve.
Watch “Deadly Influence: The Social Media Murders” Mondays on ID and stream on @hbomax.
Pearadise promised acceptance, belonging, and a place where plus-size women could feel loved. But as the viral community grew, some former members began questioning what was really happening behind the fantasy.
Watch “Big Girls Wanted: Escaping Pearadise” June 10 on ID and
Lisa Eatmon’s death leads detectives to another missing woman. Years earlier, Roscoe Clinton’s first wife, Debra, disappeared under circumstances investigators found impossible to ignore.
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For some women, Pearadise was a place of acceptance, friendship, and belonging.
For others, it became something far more complicated. Big Girls Wanted: Escaping Pearadise explores the conflicting experiences behind a viral community that promised a safe space for plus-size
Derricka built her success from the ground up and wasn’t afraid to celebrate it.
So when aspiring entrepreneur Ashley reached out on Facebook asking for mentorship, Derricka had no reason to suspect the connection would take a dark turn.
Watch “Deadly Influence: The Social
Hosted by Holly Madison, Lethally Blonde explores cases where beauty, ambition, and success collided with jealousy, obsession, and murder.
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Four people are dead, including two pregnant women.
As investigators search for answers, they identify former Marine David Allen Tyner as a suspect and begin examining his connection to Cathouse star Brooke Phillips.
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At 19, Savy says she joined the Pearadise community after connecting with founder Stefan Wilhelmy on Discord.
After he told her she was his type, Savy says she decided to travel to Las Vegas and see Pearadise for herself.
Watch “Big Girls Wanted: Escaping Pearadise” June 10