While Richard and Mayumi Heene may end up in jail over the so-called "balloon boy" saga, others are cashing in on the Colorado family's attempt to gain fame and fortune.
Saskatoon company Plantraco Microflight has rushed a Halloween costume into production so, for $19.99, party-goers can pretend they, too, may fly away in a homemade aircraft.
The simple costume -- which involves wearing a box with a hole for your head while holding a helium-filled replica of the Heene family's homemade balloon -- is selling like hotcakes, says Plantraco owner Bud Kays.
"(It's) impulse buyers who are looking for a politically incorrect costume," Kays told CTV Saskatoon.
The Heene family began making headlines on Oct. 15, when Mayumi called 911 to report that her six-year-old son, Falcon, was trapped inside a balloon that became un-tethered from the family's backyard.
Emergency services and military personnel, in addition to countless media crews, followed the balloon's 80 kilometre trip before it touched down near the Denver airport. Falcon was not inside, and was later found in the family home.
Police initially believed the family's story. However, after a series of television interviews in which they exhibited bizarre behaviour, authorities began investigating whether the entire incident was a hoax.
Last weekend, Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden told reporters that the incident was indeed a sham. Alderden said he will recommend a number of charges against the couple including conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false report to authorities and attempting to influence a public servant.
The family has since been vilified by the media and the general public, particularly after it was revealed the family had appeared on one reality show and had been pitching the idea of another show to various producers.
While Richard Heene denies the incident was a hoax, a court affidavit released Friday revealed that his wife admitted to police that the couple "knew all along that Falcon was hiding in the residence."
The goal was to "make the Heene family more marketable for future media interest," according to the affidavit.
While charges could be laid next week, profiteers are already lining up to exploit the ongoing media frenzy.
At www.balloonboygame.com, a video game allows players to pretend they are Falcon, sailing in the sky hanging on to a balloon while shooting at birds, rainbows and other menacing objects.
The site asks users: "How Many $$$ of Tax Payer Money Can You Waste?"
Or anyone who wants a souvenir of Falcon's flight, including a T-shirt that says, "Go Falcon, Go!" can visit online retailer www.zazzle.com.
And those who aren't keen to let the hot air out of the balloon just yet can follow BoyInTheBalloon, which sends tweets as Falcon on Twitter.
The posts range from the risqu锟� to the irreverent, such as this one from Oct. 21: "One of my dad's weird beliefs is that the world will end in 2012. If so, then why was he trying 2 get a 5 year deal on his show last March?"
