Critics say TED and TEDx have remained silent despite repeated requests to review or remove the 2021 presentation.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A TEDx talk delivered by Laura Owens in 2021 remains publicly available online despite growing calls for its removal from critics who point to her ongoing criminal case and allegations that she made false claims about multiple former partners.
Owens, a Scottsdale resident, is currently facing criminal charges including fraud, perjury, and forgery related to allegations that she falsely claimed to be pregnant with twins fathered by former "Bachelor" star Clayton Echard. Owens has pleaded not guilty, and her criminal case remains pending with a trial scheduled for later this summer.
The controversy surrounding her TEDx presentation has intensified as critics argue that the talk presents allegations against a former boyfriend that they contend are untrue.
In the TEDx talk, delivered at Mercer Island High School in Washington state, Owens recounted what she described as an abusive relationship and detailed an incident during a flight to Iceland. She said the kindness of a stranger on the flight helped her leave the relationship.
Writer and podcaster Megan Fox said the individual referenced in the talk has long been publicly identified as Mike Marraccini, a former boyfriend of Owens. Fox and others have argued that the talk should be removed in light of subsequent legal proceedings involving Owens.
According to Fox, anyone familiar with the...
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