Federal authorities placed the founder of a San Diego-based website GirlsDoPorn.com on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List for charges that include sex trafficking and other felonies.
The New Zealand citizen, Micheal James Pratt, 39, is accused by federal prosecutors of running a pornographic website from 2012 to 2019 that recruited hundreds of young adult and minor women to engage in commercial sex acts by force, fraud, and coercion. Pratt remains charged with 19 felonies, including the production of child pornography, sex trafficking of a minor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The announcement of Pratt's placement on the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List came with an increase in the reward for information leading to his capture, which now sits at $100,000. Authorities first issued a warrant for his arrest in November 2019.
Prosecutors alleged the young women and at least one underaged girl was lured for clothed modeling gigs. According to the U.S. Attorney, the defendants led the victims to believe the videos they appeared would only be distributed to private customers living outside the country rather than online, despite always intending to post the videos on the internet.
A total of 22 women who appeared in the videos sued the website and its operators in a civil trial and had been awarded nearly $13 million.
Federal authorities alleged Pratt paid other young women to act as references and provide false assurances to the women that, if they filmed a pornographic video, the video would not be posted online.
Some women were allegedly not permitted to leave the shooting locations until the videos were completed, while others were allegedly forced to perform sex acts. Prosecutors said the defendants threatened to sue, made flight cancelations, or posted the videos online if the women changed their minds.
Pratt's pornography websites generated more than $17 million U.S. dollars in revenue. Most of the videos were filmed in San Diego.
Four of the website's other employees have also been charged and pleaded guilty to several felonies.
Anyone with information was encouraged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or send tips online to tips.fbi.gov. Individuals located outside of the United States were advised to contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
