In a landmark move to aid survivors of sex trafficking, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced the establishment of a $215 million victims fund. This fund will provide restitution to those exploited through Backpage.com, a classified advertising website once infamous as a hub for human trafficking. The initiative underscores a significant step toward justice and healing for survivors of one of the largest trafficking platforms in history.
Backpage.com operated for 14 years, generating substantial revenue through advertisements that facilitated sex trafficking and exploitation. By 2018, federal authorities had seized the platform, marking the end of its operations. During its peak, Backpage accounted for more than 90% of its revenue through adult-related advertisements, directly contributing to the trafficking of individuals, including minors.
The Tony Ortega Connection
A controversial figure in the Backpage saga is Tony Ortega, former editor-in-chief of Village Voice Media when it owned Backpage.com. Once labelled as a Backpage “attack dog” by the New York Times, Ortega vehemently defended the website against accusations of facilitating sex trafficking, describing it as a “mass panic,” “national fantasy,” and a “nonexistent epidemic of sexual slavery”.
Ortega’s defense of Backpage was aggressive. He went as far as to criticize those exposing the site’s involvement in sex trafficking, including attacking a CNN reporter for her exposé on child exploitation on Backpage. In one particularly controversial statement, Ortega wrote, “The people I work for were smart enough to start Backpage.com,” praising the very individuals who would later be convicted for their roles in facilitating sex trafficking, as reported by Freedom Magazine.
As reported by Reuters in 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement that
“For far too long, Backpage.com existed as the dominant marketplace for illicit commercial sex, a place where sex traffickers frequently advertised children and adults alike, but this illegality stops right now.”
Government Action and Accountability
The recent settlement includes the forfeiture of assets such as cryptocurrency, cash, and real estate tied to Backpage and its co-conspirators. These funds will serve as the foundation for the victims’ restitution program. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada stated:
“The nine-figure dollar amount forfeited in this case will allow for victims to recover and show that individuals who profit from such exploitation and trafficking risk both prison time and financial ruin.”
Michael Lacey, a co-founder of the platform, was sentenced to five years in prison and fined $3 million in August 2024. His associates, John Brunst and Scott Spear, received ten-year sentences for their involvement in facilitating prostitution and laundering millions in illicit profits.
Advocates for Survivors Speak Out
Andrea Powell, founder of Karana Rising, an organization supporting survivors, highlighted the pervasive impact of the platform:
“The vast majority of the survivors I work alongside were sold on Backpage for a good 10-year period. There is no way Backpage didn’t know that was their business model.”
Powell believes the compensation fund is validation of the suffering of victims. However, she notes, “This certainly won’t take away the trauma. It won’t take away the pain, and it doesn’t absolve anyone on the Backpage team of anything”.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. commented:
“Today’s action represents a significant milestone in our ongoing fight against human trafficking. The settlement underscores our unwavering commitment to hold traffickers and their enablers accountable for their actions.”
Impact on Survivors and Legal Proceedings
Jason Amala and Vincent Nappo, attorneys at Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC (PCVA), have been at the forefront of seeking justice for survivors trafficked through Backpage.com.
“We commend the efforts of the Justice Department for achieving this settlement, which marks an important step toward justice for trafficking survivors and their families,” said Vincent Nappo.
As legal proceedings against Backpage.com’s owners continue, with some charges still pending, the focus now turns to helping survivors access and utilize the restitution trust to rebuild their lives. This settlement serves as a powerful message about the necessity of vigilance, accountability, and support for those impacted by these heinous crimes.
