GirlsDoPorn

GirlsDoPorn
IndustryPornography
Founded2009
FounderMichael Pratt
Defunct2020
Headquarters
San Diego
,
United States
Key people
  • Michael Pratt
  • Matthew Wolfe
  • Andre Garcia
  • Valerie Moser
Owner
  • Michael Pratt
  • Matthew Wolfe

GirlsDoPorn was an American pornographic website active from 2009 until 2020.[1] In October and November 2019, six people involved with the website were charged on counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion.[2][3][4][5] In December 2019, two more individuals were charged with obstruction of sex trafficking enforcement.[6] The website was removed in January 2020 after 22 victims won the civil case against the company.[1] According to the United States Department of Justice, the website and its sister website GirlsDoToys generated over $17 million in revenue.[2][7] Videos were featured on GirlsDoPorn.com as well as pornography aggregate websites such as Pornhub, where the channel reached the top 20 most viewed, with approximately 680 million views.[8][5]

Pornography produced by the company, which was based in San Diego, California, was in the style of a 'casting couch', featuring women who were not professional pornographic actors.[8] Lawsuits and other testimony describe practices by GirlsDoPorn in detail. Women who responded to fake modeling advertisements on Craigslist were put into contact with 'reference girls' who pretended to have had positive experiences with the company.[9][10] Participants could be promised between $2,000 and $6,000 for 30 minutes of sex on camera. However, filming could last up to nine hours and, according to an ex-employee, 50% of women were not paid the amount they agreed on.[9][10][11] Verbal promises were given that the videos would never be released on the Internet or in the United States, only to independent video stores in Australia, New Zealand or South America, or to private buyers.[9][10] When participants reached San Diego, they were made to sign contracts that did not mention the name "GirlsDoPorn".[12][3] The filming process was violent: the Department of Justice said that "some were sexually assaulted and in at least one case raped".[7] Release of participants' personal information and online harassment accompanied the videos.[2][9][13] Subjects of the videos have reported adverse effects including suicidal ideation, physical harassment, and the loss of jobs and accommodation.[14][15][16][11]

A lawsuit filed in 2016 alleged "intentional misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, unlawful and fraudulent business practices, and the intentional infliction of emotional distress" on the parts of New Zealand nationals Michael Pratt (co-owner) and Matthew Wolfe (co-owner and cameraman), as well as Andre Garcia (pornographic actor).[7] In January 2020, the plaintiffs received damages of $12.775 million, as well as ownership to videos they featured in.[17][15][18] However, they had yet to receive any money by February 2022.[19][20] In December 2023, Aylo (owners of Pornhub) agreed to pay a $1.8 million government fine plus compensation to victims.[21] Garcia and Wolfe were sentenced to 20 and 14 years in custody, respectively; others involved in GirlsDoPorn have also been convicted.[22][23]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference ArsJan20 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Turner, Gustavo (October 17, 2019). "Here's What You Need to Know About the GirlsDoPorn Case". XBIZ. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "GirlsDoPorn Verdict" (PDF). Courthouse News Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 17, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  4. ^ "Court Documents" (PDF). Court Listener. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference dot was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Court Documents" (PDF). Courthouse News Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Vice was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Cole, Samantha (June 28, 2019). "Girls Do Porn Goes to Trial Over Allegations Women Were Tricked Into Videos". Vice. Archived from the original on April 19, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  9. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference SDR2017Jan4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference NBC2019Feb7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference DBSep12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference ArsOct19 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference WP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference BuzzFeed was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference DB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Dickson, Ej (January 3, 2020). "Women Who Claim They Were Scammed Into Performing in Porn Awarded $13 Million". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 16, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  18. ^ Bruno, Bianca (January 2, 2020). "Women Win $13 Million in GirlsDoPorn Fraud Suit". Courthouse News Service. Archived from the original on April 8, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference XbizFeb17 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference CourthouseFeb16 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ "Pornhub's parent company settles criminal probe in case linked to San Diego-based GirlsDoPorn". The San Diego Union-Tribune. December 22, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference NBCJun15 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ Cite error: The named reference SanDiegoMar19 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).