Scorpion Stings Man in His Testicles While He Slept at Las Vegas Hotel

A guest of the Venetian Las Vegas says he found a scorpion hanging on his underwear after waking up to a feeling of “somebody stabbing me in my private area”

The Venetian Hotel and Casino Las Vegas; Scorpion
The Venetian Las Vegas, where a scorpion stung a man on his testicles. Photo:

Getty Images (2)

  • A California man says he was stung by a scorpion on his testicles while sleeping in his bed at the Venetian Las Vegas over the holidays
  • Michael Farchi said he found "a scorpion hanging on my underwear" after waking up to feeling "sharp glass or a knife" in his testicles
  • He filed a medical incident report with the hotel; PEOPLE has reached out to the Venetian Las Vegas for comment

A California man says he was stung by a scorpion on his testicles while sleeping at the posh Venetian Las Vegas during a visit to the famed strip over the holidays.

“I just felt like somebody stabbing me in my private area,” Michael Farchi told KLAS about the December 26 incident. “It felt like a sharp glass or a knife.”

“I went to the restroom, and I saw a scorpion hanging on my underwear,” the Agora Hills resident added.

Although Farchi says “I didn’t even ask” how the arachnid got in the room, he adds, “Nobody told me about any option, it just was under my cover.”

Michael Farchi Man stung in testicles by scorpion while sleeping at Las Vegas Strip resort, victim says
Michael Farchi.

8 News Now Las Vegas/Youtube

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

He filed a medical incident report with the hotel, writing “I have been bitten by a scorpion at my groin/testicles,” adding the injury sustained was “a lot of pain.”

“Scorpion stings are painful but rarely life-threatening,” the Mayo Clinic says, adding that younger children and older adults are most at risk of suffering complications from a scorpion sting.

And, of course, the site of the sting needs to be considered.

“Your testicles contain many sensitive nerves, which can make testicular pain severe,” the Cleveland Clinic says.  

“Everybody was in shock. Nobody believed, even I couldn’t believe,” Farchi told KLAS.

“When you check into a hotel, you expect to be safe,” Farci’s lawyer, Brian Virag, told the outlet.

“I'm certain that the Venetian, like every major hotel, has policies and procedures in place to try to avoid something like this. However it's one thing to have policies and procedures in place, it's another thing to make sure they're followed," Virag added.

Scorpions are “generally more active at night,” the Mayo Clinic says. “They usually won't sting unless provoked or attacked. Most stings occur when they're accidentally grabbed or stepped on or brushed against the body.”

Scorpions are native to Nevada, and there are about 25 species that are “relatively harmless,” the Las Vegas Review-Journal said in an article about the area’s native species, which are generally treated as a local pest — albeit, an intimidating one. 

A spokesperson for the Venetian Las Vegas tells PEOPLE that "the resort has protocols for all incidents and we can confirm they were followed in this incident."

Related Articles