A bipartisan investigation led by U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) culminated in the arrest of Backpage.com CEO Carl Ferrer on human trafficking charges on Thursday.
Portman, the chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), the ranking member of the subcommittee, have led an investigation into online sex trafficking over the last 18 months.
“That investigation led us directly to Backpage, an online marketplace that has been involved in hundreds of reported cases of sex trafficking, including child exploitation,” Portman and McCaskill said in a joint statement. “We certainly wish that Backpage had willingly cooperated with our investigation. Despite its refusal to do so, our investigation was the first to uncover Backpage’s practice of editing ads in manner that serves to conceal evidence of criminality. As law enforcement officials in Texas and California do their job, we will continue to press forward and complete our longstanding investigation.”
With annual revenues estimated to be more than $150 million, Backpage is a leader in commercial sex advertising. The company has been linked to hundreds of cases of sex trafficking, including cases involving children.
Backpage refused to comply with subpoena issued by Portman and McCaskill, and the Senate responded by passing a civil contempt resolution authorizing a lawsuit against Backpage.
In August, U.S. District Court Judge Rosemary Collyer ordered Ferrer to comply with the subpoena and hand over Backpage documents within 10 days, calling Ferrer’s refusal to comply “untenable and without legal support.”