An ailing California radio personality denied using his medical donations to pay his daughter’s legal bills over claims she lied about being impregnated by a former Bachelor star.
Ronn Owens, a 79-year-old San Francisco Bay Area media veteran, shared a GoFundMe page earlier this month seeking $140,000 to cover mounting medical expenses from several worsening health issues, including Parkinson’s disease and serious heart problems.
But the timing raised eyebrows, as his daughter, 34-year-old Laura Michelle Owens, faces seven felony charges tied to a 2023 lawsuit alleging she falsely accused reality TV star Clayton Echard of getting her pregnant with twins.
On Monday, the broadcaster took to Facebook to deny the rumors, calling the claims ‘completely false and deeply hurtful.’
‘Unfortunately, some individuals have made defamatory claims suggesting the fund was created to support my daughter, Laura, and her legal expenses,’ Ronn wrote.
‘Laura has not received, requested, or accessed any of the GoFundMe contributions, and none of them have been – or will be – used for her legal matters,’ he added.
‘Let me make it clear that I stand with Laura 100% and am disheartened by the online efforts to discredit us both.’
On New Year’s Eve, friends and family launched a GoFundMe to help Ronn cover the financial challenges of his 23-year battle with Parkinson’s disease and recent struggles with four bouts of cancer, including colon cancer.
Ronn Owens (pictured), a 79-year-old, ailing radio personality, denied using his medical donations to pay his daughter’s legal bills over claims she lied about being impregnated by a former Bachelor star
Ronn (right) shared a GoFundMe page earlier this month seeking $140,000 to cover mounting medical expenses from several worsening health issues, including Parkinson’s disease and serious heart problems (pictured: Ronn’s daughter, left)
The timing raised eyebrows, as his daughter, 34-year-old Laura Michelle Owens (pictured), faces seven felony charges tied to a 2023 lawsuit alleging she falsely accused reality TV star Clayton Echard of getting her pregnant with twins
While Laura insisted she was certain Clayton was the father, the 32-year-old former Bachelor (pictured) firmly denied the claim, stating they ‘did not have sexual intercourse’
As of July 2, the radio star best known for hosting KGO’s The Ronn Owens Report until 2021 had raised $129,736 toward his $140,000 goal.
It comes less than two months after his daughter Laura was indicted in Arizona on seven felony charges – including fraud and perjury – in a high-profile scandal involving Clayton Echard from Season 26 of The Bachelor.
She allegedly engaged in the deception from May 2023 to June 2024, all to seek child support from Clayton.
Laura was said to have given the reality star oral sex twice during a May 2023 encounter, with Clayton ending up leaving her distraught after attempting to end their fling the next day.
Eleven days after that, Laura claimed to be pregnant.
In 2023, she filed a lawsuit demanding DNA testing to prove whether the 6’5″ reality star is the father of her unborn twins – allegedly conceived during a one-night stand.
While Laura insisted she was certain Clayton was the father, the 31-year-old former Bachelor firmly denied the claim, stating they ‘did not have sexual intercourse,’ according to court documents obtained by The Sun.
He ultimately agreed to the paternity test and shared the official results on social media in October 2023 – confirming he was not the father of Laura’s alleged twins.
On Monday, Ronn (pictured) took to Facebook to deny claims that he was giving his daughter medical GoFundMe donations for her legal bills, calling the rumors ‘completely false and deeply hurtful.’
This past May, felony charges filed against Laura (right) alleged that she had altered an ultrasound image, fabricated a pregnancy video and lied multiple times under oath to paint the reality star as the parent (pictured: Ronn, left)
As of July 2, the radio star best known for hosting KGO’s The Ronn Owens Report until 2021 had raised $129,736 toward his $140,000 goal (pictured: Ronn)
Laura’s alleged web of lies also included lying about her miscarriage, though she has denied the accusations and will face trial later this year (pictured: Laura’s alleged pregnancy)
Laura allegedly engaged in the pregnancy deception from May 2023 to June 2024, all to seek child support from Clayton (pictured)
At the time, however, Laura claimed she suffered a miscarriage.
This past May, felony charges filed against Laura alleged that she had altered an ultrasound image, fabricated a pregnancy video and lied multiple times under oath to paint the reality star as the parent.
Moreover, her alleged web of lies also included lying about her miscarriage. Clayton recently spoke with the Daily Mail about the prosecutor’s decision to bring felony charges.
‘I’m celebrating the vindication I’ve received from having these charges handed down to Laura, the perpetrator,’ he said in May. ‘For her to be facing seven felony charges is absolutely incredible. It was a shock to me. It was a shock to the other victims.’
‘We thought she may be charged but we didn’t think that she was going to get the severity of the charges that she did,’ he added. ‘Because a Class 2 felony being at the front end of those seven charges is major.
‘We have just been elated, over the moon, that this is the outcome that we were waiting on. It took a long time to get there but the day has finally come where she’s going to be facing some accountability.’
Laura has denied the accusations and will face trial later this year.
