{"id":1204,"date":"2025-01-08T05:56:40","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T05:56:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonepage.com\/classifieds\/?p=1204"},"modified":"2025-01-08T22:51:27","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T22:51:27","slug":"215-million-backpage-settlement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonepage.com\/classifieds\/215-million-backpage-settlement\/","title":{"rendered":"$215 Million Backpage Settlement"},"content":{"rendered":"

$215 Million Backpage Settlement For Sex Trafficking<\/strong> Survivors<\/h1>\n

\"BonePage.comFederal prosecutors with the Justice Department in Southern California have confirmed that Backpage will forfeit about $215 million dollars as part of a settlement reached in a case against them for sex work ads which trafficked and exploited both adults and children. The $215 Million forfeiture will be in the form of cryptocurrency, cash and real estate holdings to be forfeited to the government. The forfeiture will then used to establish a restitution for the survivors of online sex trafficking on Backpage.com.<\/p>\n

BACKPAGE SETTLEMENT PRESS RELEASE<\/span><\/h2>\n

Justice Department Agrees to $215 Million Settlement Agreement Related to Assets of Internet Prostitution Ad Service Backpage.com<\/span><\/h3>\n
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LOS ANGELES<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 The Justice Department today filed a settlement agreement reached between the parties in the civil forfeiture case involving Backpage.com, a now-shuttered internet forum for prostitution ads that included ads depicting sex work of children, in which $215 million in assets traceable to Backpage\u2019s profits, and previously seized by the government from Backpage and its agents, will be forfeited to the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n

The forfeited assets \u2013 comprised of cash, cryptocurrency, and one parcel of real estate in San Francisco \u2013 will be available for a remission process to compensate victims of the crime. Details about the remission process will be announced at a later date. The forfeiture represents more than 80% of the value of the property seized or restrained in the case.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis settlement agreement marks a significant milestone in a criminal case involving the sexual exploitation and trafficking\u00a0of countless women and children,\u201d said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. \u201cThe nine-figure dollar amount forfeited in this case will allow for victims to recover and show that individuals who profit from such exploitation and trafficking risk both prison time and financial ruin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For most of its 14-year existence, Backpage dominated the online market for illegal sex work advertising in the United States. While Backpage offered many categories of advertisements, in most years, more than 90% of Backpage\u2019s revenue and activity occurred in the adult-related ad sections. Backpage monetized these advertisements by allowing a variety of pay-for options such as posting ads across multiple geographic areas and increased ad promotion. The company\u2019s CEO eventually admitted that most of the website\u2019s adult ads were for prostitution.<\/span><\/p>\n

In April 2018, several Backpage-related corporate entities, including Backpage LLC, pleaded guilty in Arizona federal court to conspiracy to engage in money laundering. Several Backpage owners and executives also have been convicted in this matter, including Michael Lacey, 76, of Paradise Valley, Arizona, was sentenced to five years in prison; Scott Spear, 74, of Phoenix, was sentenced to 10 years in prison; and John \u201cJed\u201d Brunst, 72, of Phoenix, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Lacey is free on bail pending appeal.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from September 2010 until its seizure by the United States in April 2018, Backpage was the internet\u2019s leading forum for prostitution ads. The conspirators knowingly promoted prostitution via various marketing strategies. For example, they engaged in a reciprocal link program with an independent web forum that permitted \u201cjohns\u201d to post reviews of prostitution acts with specific women. Additionally, the conspirators used an automated filter and human moderators to remove terms known to indicate sex-for-money, while still allowing the ads to be posted. Through this attempt to sanitize the ads, the conspirators sought \u201cplausible deniability\u201d for what the conspirators knew to be ads promoting prostitution. Over the life of the conspiracy, the conspirators earned more than $500 million. To preserve the money earned, Lacey, Spear, and Brunst laundered the money through numerous shell companies they created in multiple foreign countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

The United States Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. The United States Attorney\u2019s Office for the District of Arizona, which prosecuted the underlying criminal cases, provided substantial assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan S. Galatzan of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is prosecuting this case.<\/span><\/p>\n

The case name and number in this matter are\u00a0United States of America v. $1,546,076.35 In Bank Funds Seized from Republic Bank of Arizona Account 1889, et al.<\/em>, CV 18-08420 (C.D. Calif.).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Contact<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Ciaran McEvoy<\/span>
\nPublic Information Officer<\/span>
\nciaran.mcevoy@usdoj.gov<\/a><\/span>
\n(213) 894-4465<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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More information is available on the Central District of California U.S. Attorney’s Office website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Our Fight Against Human Trafficking<\/strong><\/h2>\n

BonePage takes a strong stance against human trafficking and sexual exploitation. It is unfortunate that Backpage did not take the same stance when they had the opportunity. The BonePage.com executive staff and associates are all of the same opinion that human trafficking is serious and it\u2019s something we must fight against. In your state, in your country, wherever you are in the world, there are organizations that are dedicated to ending human trafficking. Volunteer, make financial donations and become an advocate where you can. Small steps can make a huge difference.<\/p>\n

Human Trafficking Hotline<\/h2>\n

BonePage.com is a proud supporter of Polaris Project. Since 2007, Polaris Project<\/a> has operated the National Human Trafficking Hotline, offering support through calls, texts, and live online chats.<\/p>\n

Call<\/strong> 888-373-7888
\nText<\/strong> BeFree (233733)
\nLive online chat<\/strong> humantraffickinghotline.org<\/a><\/p>\n

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Megan Morrison, Webmaster<\/h2>\n

\"MeganMegan Morrison<\/strong>\u00a0is the webmaster and co-developer of BonePage.com adult classifieds. Megan attended University of California, Berkely where she majored in computer science. Following college Megan has worked with several tech companies including Hewlett-Packard. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and 2 rescued golden retrievers. Megan was an early move in the crypto space. When she isn\u2019t working on maintaining BonePage you may find her at a crypto conference or in the cryptocurrency forums online.<\/p>\n

Megan has devoted countless hours to developing a robust adult classifieds platform where service providers, adult dating advertisers and visitors can communicate privately and more safely than other escort sites. Megan\u2019s work is taking escort ads and adult classifieds to a whole new level of safety.<\/p>\n

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More Articles at BonePage<\/h2>\n

Human Trafficking Awareness Training<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n