In a groundbreaking legal revelation, Aylo Holdings S.A.R.L., the parent company of Pornhub and other adult websites, has admitted to profiting from explicit content that depicted sex trafficking victims. The acknowledgment comes as part of a deferred prosecution agreement reached in federal court in Brooklyn.
Legal Proceedings and Acknowledgment
Aylo Holdings pleaded not guilty to engaging in unlawful monetary transactions involving sex trafficking proceeds. However, the company, through an agreement with federal prosecutors, has accepted responsibility and agreed to pay damages to women whose explicit videos were posted online without their consent.
Terms of the Deferred Prosecution Agreement
As per the terms of the agreement, Aylo Holdings will pay a substantial fine exceeding $1.8 million. Additionally, the company will undergo scrutiny by a court-appointed monitor tasked with assessing Aylo’s content screening protocols and how it addresses reports of illegal content on its platforms. If Aylo meets these requirements, the charge against the company will be dropped after three years.
Aylo Holdings’ Involvement with GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys
Prosecutors revealed that Aylo, formerly known as MindGeek, operated websites that allowed third parties to post and distribute adult content. The company began hosting pornographic videos from production companies GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys in 2009.
Between 2016 and 2019, Aylo received messages from women who claimed they were deceived into filming videos for these production companies. Despite being aware of a 2017 lawsuit filed by victims and the deceptive practices revealed by a GirlsDoPorn videographer, Aylo continued hosting and profiting from the videos.
In 2019, operators of GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys faced charges in California related to sex trafficking and coercion of young women into appearing in pornographic videos posted online without their consent. Aylo, however, did not remove the videos from its platforms until late 2020, according to prosecutors.
Aylo’s Statement and Legal Position
In response to the agreement, Aylo issued a statement expressing deep regret for hosting content produced by GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys. The company acknowledged that the consent forms provided by the production companies were obtained through fraud and coercion.
Solomon Friedman, a partner at Ethical Capital Partners, the Canadian private equity firm that acquired Aylo, emphasized that Aylo had not admitted to any illegal activity. The company is committed to ensuring just outcomes for those wronged by GirlsDoPorn’s actions.
FBI’s Perspective and Industrywide Implications
James Smith, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office, emphasized that Aylo was motivated by profit and enriched itself by disregarding the concerns of victims. The agreement with prosecutors aims not only to hold Aylo accountable but also to establish industrywide standards for safety and compliance.
In conclusion, this legal development marks a significant step towards accountability in the online adult content industry, with Aylo Holdings addressing the consequences of its association with sex trafficking and committing to a path of lawful behavior and compliance.