Federal authorities announced Wednesday that the founder of the San Diego-based website GirlsDoPorn.com, who has been missing since being accused of sex trafficking and other crimes by federal prosecutors, has been added to the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List.
New Zealander Michael James Pratt, 39, is accused of running the now-defunct website for about seven years, during which time, according to the prosecution, he and others allegedly forced hundreds of women to take part in pornographic videos under false pretenses, the majority of which were shot in San Diego.
The founders and managers of the website allegedly used adverts for clothing modelling gigs to entice naïve young ladies, including at least one underage female. The victims were misled into thinking the sexual videos they appeared in would only be provided to private customers living outside of the nation rather than being widely disseminated online, even though they always intended to upload the recordings online, the U.S. Attorney’s Office claimed.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the defendants threatened to sue the women, cancel their flights home, or release material that had already been shot online if the women ever decided against recording or finishing the sequences.
Authorities claim Pratt used online video excerpts of the women to draw people to the website’s full-length recordings. This alleged operation brought in more than $17 million for the website’s proprietors. Authorities claim Pratt used online video excerpts of the women to draw people to the website’s full-length recordings. This alleged operation brought in more than $17 million for the website’s proprietors.
In November 2019, a warrant was issued for his arrest. The reward for information leading to Pratt’s capture increased to $100,000 after his inclusion on the Most Wanted Fugitives List was announced.
Pratt “has the financial means to go anywhere in the globe,” according to FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy, and is thought to be receiving assistance from others while on the run. Pratt “just to name a few” of the countries Pratt has connections with or may visit: New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Singapore, Japan, Chile, Croatia, and France.
Pratt is still accused of 19 offences, including making child pornography, engaging in child sex trafficking, and conspiring to launder money.
22 of the women who appeared in the website’s videos also sued the owners of the business, and a San Diego judge ultimately decided in their favour, awarding the women over $13 million after a civil trial.
