What happened to Wild Frank? The animal protection scandal explained

Frank Cuestaknown as “Wild Frank” Has been a controversial figure in the world of wildlife protection for a long time. His popular show “Wilde Frank” on Spanish television gave him international recognition for his efforts to rescue and care for exotic animals. Over the years, he built up a sanctuary in Thailand, which became a focus for his followers and was a protector of animals in need. However, the recent revelations shaken his public image to the core, which led to a massive scandal that confused and split its audience.

The background: Frank Cuesta's rise to fame

For many, Frank Cuesta was the face of animal rescue. His sanctuary in Thailand became a symbol of his commitment to protecting the animal world, and its presence on social media increased only his message to protect endangered species. But in the past few months the cracks began to show itself in his carefully designed picture.

Cuesta's relationship with some of his former employees, especially called a man ChiHas been tense for some time. Chi, who worked with Cuesta in the sanctuary, accused him of adopting misconduct, including participation in his legal difficulties and demands on the abuse of animals. Through poured recordings appeared in which Cuesta admitted bad practices in his sanctuary, including neglecting animals and the failure to fulfill his own promise. These revelations formed the stage for what would soon explode in a full -grown controversy.

The confession video

On May 13, 2025, Cuesta shocked his followers by releasing a video in which he confessed that a lot of what he had presented to the public was a lie. He admitted that he had wrongly claimed to have cancer and revealed that he had suffered from myelodyplasia, not cancer. He also revealed that the animals had not been bought in his sanctuary, and contradicted his earlier claims to be animal welfare. Cuesta admitted to being driven by ego and compulsive lies and saying: «I am neither a veterinarian nor a herpetologist. I've never saved animals. It was all part of a show. »

The Fallout and the second video

The confession video sent shock waves through the online community. Just a few hours later, Cuesta released another video in which he withdrew his statements. He claimed that the confession video was written and that it was forced to do so due to persistent harassment. Cuesta suggested that Chi was behind the pressure and that the situation was part of a larger conspiracy to ruin it. He insisted that the first video was due to “external forces” that urged him to speak out against his will.

Desde Hace Semanas Estoy Siendo Victima de Una Extorion. Filtrando Photos Privadas, Audios, Whatsapps E Informacion Dentro de Mi Ordenador Por Mas de Una Decada. Filtrando Tambien Informacion de Mi Familia y Cercanos. La Manipulacion, Amenazas y Sadismo Es Unaguantable. Aqui el … pic.twitter.com/lcvxubcxwv

– Frank Cuesta (@Frank_cuesta) May 14, 2025

Family and public reactions

The situation quickly turned into another drama, with Frank's family and public personalities reacting. His son Zape went to social media to defend his father and claimed that Frank was forced to read from a script and that the family had been examined intensively for months. Zape contradicted his father's claims about his health and said that despite his public withdrawal, Frank actually went through cancer treatment.

Public personalities and fellow students have also burdened the scandal. TV personality Risto Mejide criticized Cuesta's false cancer claim as “inhuman”, while others like the streamer El Xocas speculated that Chi Cuesta could have manipulated truths to ruin his reputation.

Legal problems and animal welfare concerns

In addition to the personal drama, the Cuesta sanctuary was also with legal challenges. In February 2025 he was arrested in Thailand for illegal possession of protected animal world. Although it was released against the deposit, the legal proceedings take several investigations into the practices in his sanctuary. The controversy has raised serious questions about the ethics of animal welfare operations and the legitimacy of sanctuaries to prioritize the well -being of animals.

The story of Frank Cuesta serves as a warning story for everyone who is involved in wildlife protection and public relations. His fall from Grace underlines the complexity of an animal welfare area and the importance of maintaining transparency and accountability. While the scandal continues to develop, it remains to be seen what to see the future for Cuesta, its sanctuary and the many animals it promised.