A federal judge in Phoenix has sentenced three co-founders of the controversial website Backpage for their roles in promoting prostitution and laundering illicit funds. Michael Lacey, 76, received a five-year prison sentence, while Scott Spear, 73, and John “Jed” Brunst, 72, each received ten years. All defendants were ordered to surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service by noon on September 11. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness of their offenses and the commitment of law enforcement to protect victims of exploitation.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri stated that the defendants and their conspirators made over $500 million from running a platform that facilitated the sexual exploitation of numerous individuals. The prosecution highlighted that the conspirators employed tactics to obscure their illegal activities, including laundering money through foreign shell companies. This sentence aims to send a strong message regarding the consequences of exploiting vulnerable individuals for financial gain.
During the trial, evidence revealed that Lacey, Spear, and Brunst knowingly promoted prostitution through various marketing strategies. They engaged in a reciprocal link program allowing “johns” to post reviews and used filters to sanitize ads, providing them with a façade of plausible deniability. Despite these attempts, the court found them guilty of serious charges, including money laundering and conspiracy to violate the Travel Act.
The convictions of Lacey, Spear, and Brunst follow earlier guilty pleas from other Backpage leaders. Notably, co-founder Carl Ferrer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to facilitate prostitution and engage in money laundering in 2018. This series of convictions illustrates a sustained effort by law enforcement to dismantle the operations of Backpage and hold its leadership accountable for their criminal activities, aiming to provide justice for the victims affected by their actions.
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