Michael Pratt, known as the mastermind behind the controversial GirlsDoPorn website, has pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges in federal court in San Diego.
The 42-year-old Pratt entered his guilty plea on June 6, acknowledging his involvement in a conspiracy to sex trafficking that spanned from 2012 to 2019, as well as admitting to sex trafficking a victim in 2012, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Sentencing for Pratt is scheduled to take place on September 8 before U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino.
Pratt’s legal troubles began years ago when he liquidated his assets and fled the United States in 2019. He successfully evaded U.S. law enforcement until his arrest in Spain on December 22, 2022. Following his arrest, he was extradited to San Diego in March 2024.
Originally charged in October 2019 in the Southern District of California, Pratt was accused of using coercion and deception to trick hundreds of young women from the U.S. and Canada into appearing in pornographic videos on the GirlsDoPorn platform.
Prosecutors revealed that Pratt and his co-defendants employed tactics of force, fraud, and coercion on the victims, most of whom were in their late teens.
Victims who spoke during court hearings recounted the devastating impacts that their involvement had on their lives, including job losses, evictions, dropping out of school, and being disowned by friends and family. Some even described feelings of hopelessness and attempts at suicide.
According to court documents, Pratt often transported the women to various locations in the San Diego area for video shoots, which took place in hotels or rented accommodations.
The women were misled about the nature of the videos, with assurances that the content would not be released online or made available in the United States.
In 2012, Pratt enlisted co-defendant Matthew Wolfe as part of his operation, subsequently developing a second platform named GirlsDoToys from the same San Diego office.
The two websites collectively amassed millions of views, charging subscription fees that generated an estimated $17 million in revenue, as revealed by prosecutors.
Pratt’s criminal enterprise expanded with the involvement of another co-defendant, Ruben Andre Garcia, who appeared in videos engaging in sexual acts with the women. Garcia was sentenced to 20 years in prison on June 14, 2021.
Prosecutors highlighted how Pratt and his co-conspirators insisted on keeping their ownership of GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys hidden from the victims. They often resorted to intimidation, threatening to sue women if they expressed a desire to quit, and warning them that they would cancel their return flights home or post the videos online.
One young woman reported her experience during court proceedings, recalling her anxiety over disclosing her age to Garcia, who was unfazed and eager to begin filming instead.
In addition to Pratt, co-defendants have also faced sentencing, including Theodore Gyi, who received a four-year sentence on November 9, 2022, and Wolfe, who was sentenced to 14 years on March 20, 2024. Valorie Moser, the office manager, is scheduled for sentencing on September 12.
The hearing for Pratt now marks a pivotal moment in a case that has spanned several years, revealing the disturbing practices that manipulated and exploited vulnerable young women.
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