Former Playboy Playmate Dani Mathers Charged in Playa Vista 'Body-Shaming' Incident

PLAYA VISTA, CA — A former Playboy Playmate was charged Friday for allegedly snapping a photo of a 70-year-old woman in the shower of a Playa Vista gym locker room and posting it on social media.

In July, Dani Mathers, the 2015 Playboy Playmate of the Year, allegedly used her cell phone to snap the photo of the elderly woman in the shower at the L.A. Fitness gym in Playa Vista, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office. The photo was then allegedly posted on her Snapchat account with the message, "If I can't unsee this then you can't either."

Mathers was charged with one count of invasion of privacy. She is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 28, and she could face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, according to the City Attorney's Office.

"Body shaming is humiliating, with often painful, long-term consequences. It mocks and stigmatizes its victims, tearing down self-respect and perpetuating the harmful idea that our unique physical appearances should be compared to air-brushed notions of 'perfect.' What really matters is our character and humanity," City Attorney Mike Feuer said. "While body-shaming, in itself, is not a crime, there are circumstances in which invading one's privacy to accomplish it can be. And we shouldn’t tolerate that."

The 29-year-old Tarzana native publicly apologized for sharing the photo following a firestorm of backlash on social media, calling the incident an "accident."

SEE ALSO: Playmate of the Year Faces Backlash for Posting Cruel Photo of Woman in Gym Shower

“I just wanted to acknowledge a photo that I accidentally posted on Snapchat earlier today and let you guys know that that was absolutely wrong, and not what I meant to do. I have chosen to do what I do for a living because I love the female body and I know that body shaming is wrong and that’s not what I’m about, that’s not the type of person that I am,” Mathers said on a video apology posted to Snapchat.

She said the photo was only meant to be sent to a close friend — a comment that received further backlash on social media.

Following the incident, Mathers was banned from L.A. Fitness. An L.A. Fitness spokesperson told Patch in July that Mathers is not welcome at any of its gyms because of her "appalling" behavior.

-- Patch editor Paige Austin contributed to this story. Photo via Shutterstock