A flashy billboard in Barrio Logan purchased by a La Jolla millionaire looking for love was completely taken down over the weekend.
On Thursday, local millionaire Marc Paskin, 62, bought a billboard on I-5 and 28th Street that state, “All I want for Christmas is a Latina Girlfriend.”
The billboard featured a photo of Paskin, as well as his email address, presumably for prospective love interests to reach out to him directly.
The blunt billboard stirred up some controversy in the neighborhood. While some residents found it lighthearted and comical, others thought it was slightly offensive.
By Friday, Paskin’s billboard had already been damaged. His email address was peeled off, but the rest of the message – including his wish for a “Latina Girlfriend” – remained intact.
Employees who work below the billboard told NBC 7 they had arrived at work Friday to find the billboard was half missing. They believed kids wanting to vandalize may have been responsible.
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By the weekend, the millionaire’s entire massive message was gone, and the billboard space was completely stripped down to nothing.
Paskin sent the following statement to media on Dec. 11:
"A week ago Monday I put up a billboard, with the intent to meet someone special, my soul mate. Last Thursday, the story of my billboard went world wide, on the internet, TV, and newspapers. My only desire was to meet someone here in San Diego, but in the past 4 days I have received over 15,000 emails from women that want to meet me-from all over the US, and all over the world.
Vandals took down the board, and I decided not to put it back up. I dont need any more e mails. Everyone has a right to find love and happiness-I just went about it in a different way. It is a success beyond my wildest dreams. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad."
Paskin, a real estate investor, was featured on an episode of “Secret Millionaire” last year when he spent a week living on less than $50 a day.
