Backpage founders charged with money laundering and aiding prostitution
Federal authorities have charged the two founders of classified site Backpage.com, along with five other employees, with laundering money and facilitating prostitution. According to The Washington Post, the Justice Department claims Backpage took “consistent and concerted action” to knowingly allow illegal ads for sex work. The indictment says that “virtually every dollar flowing into Backpage’s coffers represents the proceeds of illegal activity.”
Law enforcement agencies seized Backpage’s servers last week, and co-founder Michael Lacey was charged in a sealed 93-count indictment, which has now been revealed. Lacey, as well as his co-founder James Larkin, were already charged with violating California money laundering laws, although a…
