Pornhub Fined for Profiting From Sex Trafficking, Agrees to Pay Penalty

The owner of Pornhub, one of the leading adult content websites, has confessed to profiting from sex trafficking and has agreed to compensate women whose videos were posted without their consent, according to federal prosecutors in New York. Aylo Holdings, the parent company of the website, has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement to settle a charge of engaging in illegal monetary transactions related to sex trafficking proceeds. This resolution requires the Montreal-based company to pay over $1.8 million to the U.S. government and provide separate payments to the individual women affected by the trafficking. Additionally, an independent monitor will be appointed for three years, after which the charges will be dismissed. The aim of this agreement is to bring some closure to those who have been negatively impacted by these actions.

James Smith, the head of the FBI’s New York office, stated that Aylo Holdings knowingly enriched itself by disregarding the victims who had informed the company about being deceived and coerced into the videos. Aylo has agreed to compensate the victims, but further details regarding eligibility and the application process will be provided in the future.

The charge against Aylo arises from their involvement in hosting videos and accepting payments from GirlsDoPorn. The operators of this now-defunct adult film production company were charged and subsequently convicted of various sex trafficking crimes, including coercing young women into engaging in sexual acts on camera that were then posted on Pornhub and other adult websites without their consent.

Prosecutors allege that between 2017 and 2020, Aylo received money that company officials either knew or should have known was derived from GirlsDoPorn’s sex trafficking operations. They also claim that the company did not act promptly or thoroughly enough to remove all nonconsensual videos, even after several women directly appealed to the company.

Aylo operates both free and paid adult websites where content providers can upload and distribute adult videos. The company generates revenue through licensing agreements, advertisements, and subscriptions. According to prosecutors, Aylo received over $100,000 from GirlsDoPorn and approximately $764,000 in payments from advertisers associated with the production company.

Previously known as MindGeek, Aylo Holdings expressed deep regret for hosting content from GirlsDoPorn on its streaming video platforms. The company stated that GirlsDoPorn had provided them with consent forms supposedly signed by the women, but Aylo was unaware that the forms were obtained through fraud and coercion.

Aylo also emphasized that prosecutors did not find any violations of federal criminal laws related to sex trafficking or the sexual exploitation of minors by Aylo or its affiliates. The company clarified that it is not pleading guilty to any crime, and the government has agreed to dismiss its charge against Aylo after three years, subject to the company’s continued compliance with the Deferred Prosecution Agreement.

In a related development, the European Union announced on Wednesday that Pornhub and two other major porn sites would be required to verify the ages of their users, as part of the Digital Services Act aimed at ensuring internet safety. This agreement, filed in federal court in Brooklyn on Thursday, follows this global movement to address the issues surrounding adult content platforms.