Anyone who grew up in the 90s knows the The Power Rangers. It’s impossible not to, they were just everywhere. The successful TV series ran on the screen for years, toys flooded the streets, the costumes were among the most viewed on Purim and even Festigal realized the magnitude of the success and made sure to bring the Rangers to a guest appearance. But behind the great success were hidden quite a few people with a problematic nature, who have proven more than once that even if on the screen you are a superhero in a colorful costume, in real life you can also degenerate into a crime.
The best known story is perhaps the story of David Yost, the Blue Ranger from the original series (1993) who admitted in an interview years after the series dropped that his sexual orientation made him isolated on the set. For years Yost hid the real reason and let people think that he left due to a financial dispute (like quite a few of his co-stars), but in 2010 he admitted that he finally broke from the constant bullying and decided to leave the series at its peak.
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But while the bullying that was used against Yost happened on the photo set and his departure could have made it easier for him. There are players who took the spoiled behavior with them outside, to the wider world.
Poa Magasiba, who played the character of Shane Clark – the Red Ranger in the series “Power Ranger: Ninja Storm”, was convicted in 2019 of abusing his wife. The conviction was established only two weeks before his death, but was revealed to the public only months later, and according to it he was sentenced to only 70 hours of community service, as well as six months under supervision.
Fua Magasiba next to his wife in 2017 (Photo: Vertical)About six months after his death, his widow revealed the fact that he abused her to the general public. In the interview she gave, she said that he hit her several times and threatened to hurt her, himself and their child if she contacted the police. According to her, he even attacked her the night before his death in a hotel in New Zealand.
The Curse of the Red Ranger didn’t stop with Megasiba. Ricardo Medina Jr, who played the Red Ranger Cole Evans in the series “Power Rangers: Storm Force”, was convicted in 2017 of the brutal murder of his roommate. Medina committed the murder using a samurai sword that he had in his possession.
Ricardo Medina Jr., the Red Ranger in Wild Force (Photo: Vertical)The reason for the murder is an argument that broke out between the two, after Medina’s partner parked her private car outside their apartment. Although his first version was that he acted in self-defense only and that he never intended to murder his partner, in court Medina confessed to his actions and was convicted of murder.
The US court sentenced him to 6 years in prison as a result of his actions. His lawyer claimed in an interview that Medina preferred to confess to the killing than to deny the charges and risk being convicted of murder which would put him in a longer prison term.
Did you think we were done with the Red Ranger Curse? Think again. the original red ranger, Austin St. Joneswhose original name is Jason Lawrence Geiger (Jason in the series Mighty Morphin: Power Rangers), was arrested about two months ago along with 17 other suspects, when it is suspected that he was recruited into a plot designed to deceive the authorities and fraudulently take out compensation money from the damages of the corona virus.
The actor’s entourage addressed the allegations against him through a message he wrote on his personal Instagram account: “Austin St. Jones is a father, husband, role model and friend to many people. The indictment contains many accused, most of whom he has no acquaintance with, he has never spoken to or met them. Austin put his money and trust in the hands of third-party parties who trusted him.”
The 18 were accused of trying to fraudulently obtain about 3.5 million dollars and if convicted, they are expected to be imprisoned for up to 20 years each.
Another case attributed to the Power Rangers is the case of Skyler Dillion. Dillion was an actor in his childhood years and for years he claimed that he took part in an episode of the Power Rangers, back in their first season, which was ultimately proven to be untrue.
In 2009 Dillion was convicted of the murder of Thomas and Jackie Hawkes, two yacht owners. Dillion was convicted alongside his ex-wife and sentenced to death. According to the indictment, Dillion tied the couple to the anchor of the yacht and forced them to sign a transfer of ownership of the yacht. After they signed, he threw them into the water and left them to die, their bodies never being found.
For Dillion, it was not the first time he had killed, as a year before the double murder, he cheated a man named John Xavi, stole about 50 thousand dollars from him and then slit his throat.