[AboveAverageJoe]

Backpage CEO arrested in Dallas after returning from a trip to Amsterdam. Ferrer was arrested on felony charges of pimping a minor, pimping, and conspiracy to commit pimping and is being held on $500,000 bail. No women or prostitutes were arrested. Oddly enough, websites like craigslist that used to advertise adult services and the ever popular Seeking Arrangement are still popular and their owners have avoided prosecution.

As reported by: Yahoo News Backpage.com CEO arrested

DALLAS (AP) — State agents raided the Dallas headquarters of adult classified ad portal Backpage and arrested Chief Executive Officer Carl Ferrer on Thursday following allegations that adult and child sex-trafficking victims had been forced into prostitution through escort ads posted on the site.

Ferrer, 55, was arrested on a California warrant after arriving at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport on a flight from Amsterdam.

"Making money off the backs of innocent human beings by allowing them to be exploited for modern-day slavery is not acceptable in Texas," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris said that Ferrer was arrested on felony charges of pimping a minor, pimping, and conspiracy to commit pimping. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bond and will face an extradition hearing before he can be returned to California.

"Raking in millions of dollars from the trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable victims is outrageous, despicable and illegal," said Harris, a Democrat who is running for the U.S. Senate in next month's election. "Backpage and its executives purposefully and unlawfully designed Backpage to be the world's top online brothel."

An attorney representing Backpage, Liz McDougall, did not immediately respond to telephone and email messages left by The Associated Press.

The site's controlling shareholders, Michael Lacey, 68, and James Larkin, 67, have been charged with conspiracy to commit pimping, Harris said in a statement. Neither of them has been taken into custody by late Thursday although warrants have been issued for their arrest. Under California's law, felony pimping is defined as making money off of prostitutes or soliciting customers for prostitution.

Lacey and Larkin are former owners of the Village Voice and the Phoenix New Times. An attorney who previously represented the two men, Michael Manning, did not immediately respond to a telephone message from The AP.

Backpage advertises a wide range of services, but the California arrest warrant alleges that internal business records obtained through a search warrant show that 99 percent its revenue came from its adult services section between January 2013 and March 2015. California officials said the site collects fees from users who use coded language and nearly nude photos to offer sex for money.

Worldwide revenue from sex ads topped $3.1 million in just one week last year, according to a court affidavit. It says Ferrer expanded Backpage's share of online sex marketing by creating affiliated sites including EvilEmpire.com and BigCity.com with related content.

The site operates in hundreds of cities worldwide, authorities said, including more than 30 in California. It collected $2.5 million per month just from California, or more than $51 million during the 29 months covered by the internal revenue reports.

Larkin and Lacey each received $10 million bonuses from the website in September 2014, according to the court filing. It says Backpage was created in 2004, but since 2014 has been owned by a Netherlands-based company that has Ferrer as its only named partner.

California authorities said the state's three-year investigation found many of the ads include victims of sex trafficking including children under the age of 18.

One of the advertisers, identified only as 15-year-old "E.S.," ''was forced into prostitution at the age of 13 by her pimp," according to an affidavit filed with the complaint. She used other online advertising services until they were shut down, the court filing says, when she turned to Backpage.

"I mean really, coming from someone my age, there is too much access, like it's too easy for people to get on it and post an ad," she told California Special Agent Brian Fichtner, according to his affidavit.

California officials said their investigation was prompted in part by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which reported 2,900 instances to California authorities since 2012 when suspected child sex trafficking occurred using Backpage.

The criminal complaint includes allegations that five minors, three of them including "E.S." under age 16, paid to post advertisements on Backpage.

The charges against Ferrer could bring him nearly 22 years in prison, while Larkin and Lacey face a maximum six years.

Backpage has been the subject of recent Senate hearings into its classified ads. Last month, the Supreme Court refused to block a Senate subpoena seeking information on how Backpage screens ads for possible sex trafficking.

U.S. Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, chairman and ranking member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, issued a statement hailing the criminal charges resulting from what they called "the scourge of online sex trafficking."

They put the site's estimated annual revenues at more than $150 million, calling it "a market leader in commercial sex advertising."



Ho's gonna ho. TY
his is like sticking your finger in a dyke, it grosses you out, she doesn't like it either, and you might get charged with something.

[Rhyme or Reason]

Quote:

"Making money off the backs of innocent human beings by allowing them to be exploited for modern-day slavery is not acceptable in Texas," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement.

I don't get it...was he ordering underage hookers or directly facilitating such things himself? If not why not arrest Craig from Craigslist on similar charges?

The above quote looks to me like a Cuckservative jumping on an opportunity to virtue signal and white knight.

[RoastBeefCurtains4Me]

Most women on BP have chosen to post ads. They've tried waitressing and marriage and the things other non-escorts do to get by, but they choose escorting instead. There probably are a few underage women who post ads, and probably a few whose boyfriends or "pimps" make them, but it's a tiny fraction.

I don't advocate P4P for RVF men, but I think it should be legal. This gambit of trying to cast all prostitution as forced human trafficking is typical SJW bullshit.

That being said, BP has been pretty well known for some time. I'm surprised the owners weren't arrested sooner. They would have been smarter to operate from outside the US.

[kaotic]

Strong Title 10/10.

The thing is with Craigslist, they aren't raking in any fees, you can post for free.

It looks like Backpages collected fees from members.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY - the government got pissed and canned the head of the website.

This isn't about the victims at all, it's about collecting money.


Granted YES, it's important to get underage prostitutes off the street and away from abusive pimps and madams.

[spokepoker]

I think it's more about some lawmaker or prosecutor trying to make a name for himself than collecting money. Make some vague law to "protect the children!" then toss a big net. I bet when they run for re-election they can boast they "broke up the world's largest child prostitution ring".

[XPQ22]

I didn't even know "conspiracy to commit pimping" was the name of legitimate crime. I fear we are all guilty.

[chicane]

Maggie McNeil has written a number of articles debunking the volume of trafficking and underage prostitution that the mainstream press claims is happening. It does happen, but the numbers are much, much lower than are being reported.

[Handsome Creepy Eel]

I just love these juicy myths about women somehow being "forced" into prostitution by vicious "pimps" while simultaneously being surrounded by millions of safe houses, feminist organizations, white-knighting police officers, assorted beta providers and pretty much the entire judicial and legislative apparatus of a developed western country.

Either the listed organizations are the most inefficient on the planet, or this problem doesn't exist at all and women are *gasp* whoring themselves willingly.

[Atlanta Man]

For the record you can buy pussy off Craigslist, Back Page, Instagram(for bookings please DM me, bookings for what? All I see is pictures of you with your ass out...), Facebook, VK, and damn near any social media platform out there. This is a "for the children, think of the children" publicity stunt. This man may except money for escort ads but so does The Miami New Times and Creative Loafing, just to name a few publications.

In the late 90's in response to the Rave drug culture laws were passed to hold the owner of a venue responsible for felonies committed there related to drugs. Not promoters, the owner of the venue, who leased the venue for the event. This allowed a bunch of politicians to look "tough on crime" while trampling peoples rights. This arrest of Back Page's CEO seems like more of the same type of bullshit posturing I am used to seeing from politicians.

[AboveAverageJoe]

For those that have spent some time in "the sporting life" it is not news that there has always been a desire by law enforcement to prosecute pimps for more serious felonies like pimping, pandering, and procuring, while using the misdemeanor crime of prostitution as leverage on the willing and able prostitutes. Any seasoned bitch will not give her pimp up. The very idea of pimping infuriates squares (cops, DA's, judges, etc.) because pimps get for free and sell what 80-90% of men would have to pay for. That and the fact that the mentality that most law eforcement officers have before joining the force is one of a white knight. They believe they are saving these ho's because they dont know one-you can't save these ho's and two-they don't wan't to be saved.

Most pimps that have been around, travel cross-country with their ho's in tow as three misdemeanor prostitution charges equal a felony in nearly all jurisdictions. Once a chick gets two prostitution charges in any location it is time to split or, send them on to another pimp in a different city or put her in a location such as massage parlors or strip clubs until it is time to move the whole stable out of state.
Being a pimp is actually more like being a sheperd than anything.

Ho's should be able to sell pussy and men with more money than self respect should be able to pay for it. Trying to win the war on prostitution is as hopeless as prohibition and the war on terror. There is a reason it is the oldest profession and a reason pimping is the second oldest.

Squares always think that ho's are living some miserable life and that they are captives, in reality nothing is further from the truth in the classic pimp-ho relationship. It is much more like a family, in fact it is, a crime family.

The very act of me allowing a ho to choose me makes it the best day of her life and an instant upgrade for hers. This is something squares will never understand. Many women like being ho's and many women love their pimps and will do anything for them. A pimp is a leader and in this case it is better to be loved than feared, I say this believing a woman should fear her man otherwise if he isn't fearsome how can he protect her?


On more thing I would like to ad. A pimp instinctively and intuitively understands that gaming a bitch never ends. This is a mistake that many seasoned players forget when they get comfortable and in LTR's. Women need constant gaming which is the real reason of the pimping maxim-Pimping ain't easy. Imagine having to game several women 24 hours a day while constantly shutting down shit tests. That is why pimping is exhausting and most pimps seldom have a career longer than two decades. You never get to truly rest, stop thinking, or let down your guard. It is similar to being a fugitive, you never are truly at peace at any time.

All this info is entirely second hand and anecdotal.
Pimping is a young mans game after all and much like being a player you get tired of dealing with women's constant barrage of self-created problems.

[Rhyme or Reason]

^

Quote:

Being a pimp is actually more like being a sheperd than anything.

So that's what that bible verse meant...

[kaotic]

(10-07-2016 05:01 PM)Red_Pillage Wrote:  

^

Quote:

Being a pimp is actually more like being a sheperd than anything.

So that's what that bible verse meant...

Yep, that was a fantastic breakdown dudes need to understand about tricks.

+1

[Mikan]

(10-07-2016 03:18 PM)XPQ22 Wrote:  

I didn't even know "conspiracy to commit pimping" was the name of legitimate crime. I fear we are all guilty.

The defendant was seen on more than one occasion shopping for full length fur coats and alligator skin shoes.

[TheOllam]

(10-07-2016 05:06 PM)kaotic Wrote:  

(10-07-2016 05:01 PM)Red_Pillage Wrote:  

^

Quote:

Being a pimp is actually more like being a sheperd than anything.

So that's what that bible verse meant...

Yep, that was a fantastic breakdown dudes need to understand about tricks.

+1

[ivansirko]

When Craigslist had their "arrangements" section ( i dont remember the real name) the police used that to police prostitution, legal or underage. When Craigslist banned that section the police indicated it became harder to police underage prostitution and all went to backpage. It seems Craigslist had a foot in the door of the government and backpage did not. Backpage became the "word" for "Prostitution" while Craigslist never had such a reputation. This is probably why there is an arrest.

Legalize it, regulate it, fine. If not it will stay in a "backpage" style website.

[RBerkley]

Wait a minute... Isn't there a law in US code which claims that whenever a user posts something on a website, the website is not responsible for the content under the Communications Act?

When a female teacher who preaches to female students about rape culture hysteria while posting nudes on Snapchat for 12-year-old boys, will Snapchat be charged for a crime too while the female teacher gets off scot free?

Law enforcement becoming white knight at the same time empowered women are uploading pictures of themselves on "Motherhood" and "Parenting" blogs where they are posing naked with toddlers under the cause of "breastfeeding" and "women rights".

But when a legal age hot 18-year-old chick wanna sell her thick ass on Backpage, it is considered human trafficking to these cucks. Screw dat.

Police should be monitoring for the human traffickers and mothers who pose naked with little kids on New-Age blogs if they want to stop child abuse and toddler purnography.

[AboveAverageJoe]

(((Child-porn producers))) are protected, you notice you only ever here of consumers of that garbage being arrested?

[eradicator]

(10-07-2016 01:09 PM)kaotic Wrote:  

Strong Title 10/10.

I thought Steve McMahon had returned for a second

[RBerkley]

(10-08-2016 11:40 AM)AboveAverageJoe Wrote:  

(((Child-porn producers))) are protected, you notice you only ever here of consumers of that garbage being arrested?

Yup...I always used to wonder that who is being held responsible for producing the content, because it's always someone who accidentally downloaded an Image of a woman abusing toddlers from an undercover cop, or someone who viewed a 17-year-old 364 day old female sexts being charged for "child purnography",

But snuff porn being made with 5-year-old kids being raped, tortured & killed...Not that much arrests or luck stopping such content from being produced and sold for billions of dollars in Sales on the underground market for the 1% of society.

[El Padrone]

This is what happens when you don't make those political contributions. The man with the power trumps the man with the cash.

[AboveAverageJoe]

(10-08-2016 12:42 PM)RBerkley Wrote:  

(10-08-2016 11:40 AM)AboveAverageJoe Wrote:  

(((Child-porn producers))) are protected, you notice you only ever here of consumers of that garbage being arrested?

Yup...I always used to wonder that who is being held responsible for producing the content, because it's always someone who accidentally downloaded an Image of a woman abusing toddlers from an undercover cop, or someone who viewed a 17-year-old 364 day old female sexts being charged for "child purnography",

But snuff porn being made with 5-year-old kids being raped, tortured & killed...Not that much arrests or luck stopping such content from being produced and sold for billions of dollars in Sales on the underground market for the 1% of society.

I believe it has to do with the super elites that commit ritual paediocide and pedophilia. They believe it gives them some occult powers or something. They of course do this while seeing themselves as different and above those commoners practicing obeah, voodoo, or Santeria, who are merely superstitious.
Meanwhile these super-elites are channelling some awfully demonic energy that they either believe in deeply or just secretely enjoy in some twisted and perverse way.