Court Issues Opinion in Penthouse, FriendFinder Lawsuit

Court Issues Opinion in Penthouse, FriendFinder Lawsuit

GEORGETOWN, Del. — A Delaware court today ordered Penthouse Global Media Inc. to turn over nine websites that weren’t part of a purchase agreement with FriendFinder Networks Inc.

Last year, FriendFinder unintentionally gave domain authorization codes to Penthouse as part of a February 2016 stock deal involving 16 subsidiaries worth $6.5 million to the new ownership of Penthouse that, according to the lawsuit, took control of the sites and had been redirecting visitors to its own online properties.

FriendFinder, in its suit filed at Chancery Court of Delaware, asserted that Penthouse converted FriendFinder property. Today, the court said in its 56-page ruling that Penthouse must turn over all the disputed domains to FriendFinder within 10 days.

“FriendFinder has shown that under the stock purchase agreement, the disputed domains were associated with, used in, or material to the FriendFinder business at the time of closing,” the court said in its order. “Penthouse has not put forth any evidence that it is entitled to any of the disputed domains under the stock purchase agreement.”

Two of the sites involved in the suit, BookOfSex.com and HornyWife.com, have been used for years as co-brands of FriendFinder's adult dating site, AdultFriendFinder.com.

The suit said that BookOfSex.com and HornyWife.com accounted for a large portion of FriendFinder revenue through membership fees and advertising revenue. FriendFinder noted in the suit that in the first four days after the transfer of the sites was noticed, it lost out on $7,300 in ad revenue.

Jonathan Buckheit, FriendFinder’s CEO, today said he was thankful to get the websites under his company’s control.

"While we are pleased to finally be getting our property back, we believe the context of this situation, as reflected by the court's comment that Penthouse presented no applicable evidence, never should have required legal proceedings to resolve," Buckheit said.

Penthouse CEO Kelly Holland told XBIZ she would soon issue a statement in regards to the decision.

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

MojoHost Releases Statement on the Future of Adult

In the wake of Tuesday's election and amid concerns about the possible ramifications for the adult industry, MojoHost President Brad Mitchell has releases a statement addressing Project 2025 and the future of the industy.

Adult Web Hosting Service 'Midnight-Host' Launches

Midnight-Host, a new web hosting service designed specifically for adult websites, has launched.

ASN Lifestyle Magazine Joins Pineapple Support as Media Sponsor

ASN Lifestyle Magazine has joined the ranks of over 60 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support, partnering with the organization as a media sponsor.

Adult Industry Reacts to Trump Victory

On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump was reelected, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris to reclaim the office he lost four years ago.

Fetisfy Online Fetish Marketplace Launches

Fetisfy.com, an online marketplace for users to sell fetish items, has launched.

Pineapple Support Launches 'Spill the Tea, Colombia' Community Support Event Series

Pineapple Support has launched "Spill the Tea, Colombia," a monthly, in-person community support event for adult industry professionals.

Streamster Launches 'Tip2Peep' Camera-Switching Feature

Live-streaming software provider Streamster has launched Tip2Peep, a new feature that allows viewers to switch between multiple webcam viewing angles by tipping the creator.

Tyler Wu Guests on Chaturbate's 'Sex Tales' Podcast

Tyler Wu is the latest guest on Chaturbate’s “Sex Tales” podcast, hosted by Melissa Stratton and Vanniall on the company’s “Camming Life” YouTube channel.

Fleshy to Launch Interactive Cam Site 'Eromote'

Male pleasure brand Fleshy has announced that it will launch an interactive, bidirectional cam site next month called Eromote.

XBIZ LA Show Introduces New 'Crib Crawl' Feature

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the 2025 edition of its flagship conference, the XBIZ Show, will debut a brand-new feature: Crib Crawl, offering attendees the chance to meet and greet representatives from leading brands and organizations in dedicated suites at the host venue.

Show More