500 Escort Ad Domains Seized in FBI Sting Operation

500 Escort Ad Domains Seized in FBI Sting Operation

PORTLAND, Ore.— A federal grand jury in Oregon has returned two indictments charging six people with running sex trafficking organizations operating in the U.S., Canada and Australia.

As part of a takedown operation, the FBI seized the primary website used by one of the organizations, SupermatchEscort.com, and about 500 other associated domains, including 25 location-specific subsites.

Industry attorney Lawrence Walters told XBIZ that the indictments, unsealed today, do not point to FOSTA/SESTA as the underlying reason for the takedown operation.

“The Department of Justice appears committed to pursuing those who use websites for purposes of engaging in prostitution,” Walters said. “Notably, this prosecution does not rely on FOSTA/SESTA as a basis for the indictment. 

“The mass seizure of domain names prior to a finding of guilt generates some issues from a First Amendment standpoint,” he said. “However, this practice has become more common, and is likely to continue unless the courts intervene.

“If the government seized a newspaper’s printing press based on alleged illegal ads in the newspaper, the free speech concern would be more obvious."

The FBI partnered with local law enforcement agencies in more than a dozen cities across the nation to coordinate sting operations targeting the organizations operated by defendants under indictment in Oregon, along with other Asian sex trafficking networks.

Zongtao Chen, aka Mark Chen, of Toronto; Weixuan Zhou, aka Marco Zhou, of Guangzhou, China; Yan Wang, aka Sarah Wang, of Temecula, Calif.; Chaodan Wang, of Beaverton, Ore.; and Ting Fu, of Beaverton are charged with conspiracy and use of interstate facilities to promote, manage, establish, carry on or facilitate a racketeering enterprise.

In a separate indictment, Hui Ling Sun, of Portland, is charged with using interstate facilities to promote, manage, establish, carry on or facilitate a racketeering enterprise.

The organization employed dispatchers who would receive incoming requests from potential customers to set up “dates.” The dispatchers would coordinate and schedule the dates with women working at various brothels.

Dispatchers used a computer program to schedule and track all of the prostitution dates, the Justice Department said.

The computer program had a customer database that logged more than 30,000 customer phone numbers with details from previous dates. 

View one of two indictments

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

Streamate Spotlights Savannah Sly as December 'Elevate' Community Partner

Streamate has selected New Moon Network founder and co-director Savannah Sly as its Elevate Community Partner for December.

LaBellaDX Launches New Site Through YourPaysitePartner

Content creator LaBellaDX has launched her new official website through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Clip Page Launches 'Creator Analytics' Feature

Custom content marketplace Clip Page has launched the Creator Analytics feature on its platform.

BBWXXXAdventures Relaunches Through Grooby's Blue.xxx

Paysite BBWXXXAdventures has relaunched under Grooby's new website management company Blue.xxx.

Flirt4Free Announces 'Tease the Season' Holiday Contest

Flirt4Free has announced its Tease the Season promo and model contest, which will run Dec. 21-25.The competition is led by the return of the Snowflake Contest, where models can be gifted digital snowflakes by their fans. The models who collect the most snowflakes by 11:59 a.m. on Christmas Day will win cash prizes.

SWR Data Publishes 2024 'Top Creator Platforms' Report

Adult industry market research firm SWR Data has published a report on the Top Creator Platforms of 2024.

MintStars Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

Content platform MintStars has joined the ranks of over 60 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Politicians Aim to Study Effects of FOSTA-SESTA on Sex Workers

In an encouraging sign for sex workers, California State Representative Ro Khanna and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have reintroduced the SAFE SEX Workers Study Act, which aims to study the effects of FOSTA-SESTA.

Pornhub to Shut Down Access in Florida Over Age Verification

Aylo will geoblock Pornhub across Florida starting Jan. 1, when HB 3, the state's age verification law, goes into effect.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches by Country for October, November

AEBN has released the list of popular searches from its straight and gay theaters by country in October and November.

Show More