Cohen Stays in Jail, Judge Says

SAN JOSE, Calif. – In the continuing saga between Sex.com owner Gary Kremen and the man who once successfully hijacked his domain name, Stephen Cohen found no relief from a judge this afternoon in U.S. District Court and will likely stay in jail for several more weeks.

In a decision that Kremen called a victory, Judge James Ware found no convincing reason to let Cohen out of jail, despite urgings from his lawyer that Cohen is in poor health after suffering several heart attacks in past years.

The judge even declined an offer from Cohen’s lawyer to let him stay at his home.

Cohen, a fugitive in Mexico since 2001 after a judge ordered that he pay Kremen $65 million for usurping the Sex.com domain, was arrested on Oct. 27 by Mexican Federal Police and was then turned over to agents of the U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Marshals Service.

Kremen told XBiz he was surprised by Ware’s decision, based on the fact that this is by far one of the judge’s oldest cases.

“He easily could have let him out,” Kremen said. “But he chose not to, and that’s a good thing for us.”

Kremen added that despite his misgivings towards Cohen after creating a costly cat-and-mouse game for the past five years, Cohen looked “sharp” in his county jumpsuit.

Whether Cohen still has sufficient assets to pay Kremen remains unknown. In October, Kremen was awarded a permanent injunction against Cohen and was able to seize all of his assets in the United States, including mail, cars, credit cards, property, eight bank accounts, email, a leased building on the U.S./Mexico border and a list of around 70 adult and non-adult domain names that Kremen said he intends to sell.

Another hearing is set for Nov. 21 to determine how the case will proceed.

Copyright © 2026 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

AEBN Reveals Ariel Demure as Top Trans Star for Q3 of 2026

AEBN has named its top trans stars for the third quarter of 2026, with Ariel Demure landing atop the leaderboard.

Porn Piracy: How AI Is Transforming Content Theft and Protection

Gone are the days when the word “pirate” primarily conjured images of clever scoundrels like Captain Jack Sparrow, swaggering across the high seas in search of gold and jewels. Today’s most prolific pirates operate in the darkest corners of the internet, armed with bots, scrapers and generative AI.

Playhaus Network Launches Podcast Platform Through PAYSITE

Entertainment website The Playhaus Network is launching its new podcast platform through PAYSITE.

Sportsheets Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Copycat Website

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has ruled in favor of adult brand Sportsheets in a case against a copycat website using an infringing domain.

Kylie Rocket, Derek Kage Cap AEBN's Top Stars for 3rd Quarter of 2026

AEBN has revealed its most popular performers in straight and gay theaters for the third quarter of 2026.

JustFor.fans Launches Android Version of 'JFF Create' Mobile App

JustFor.fans (JFF) has rolled out an Android-compatible version of its creator management mobile app, JFF Create.

Kink.com Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Copycat Website

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has ruled in favor of Kink.com in a case against a copycat website using an infringing domain.

On-Chain JAV Distribution Platform 'HandSome' Goes Live With Open Beta

Fukuoka tech firm Fidem has officially rolled out an open beta version of HandSome, a new Japanese Adult Video (JAV) content distribution platform built on blockchain technology.

Arcom Investigates MYM Over SREN Compliance

French media regulator Arcom is investigating creator platform MYM to determine whether the site may have violated age assurance rules and/or other requirements of France’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law.

England, Wales to Enforce 'Extreme' Content Laws Starting Nov. 6

England and Wales will begin enforcing new laws criminalizing depictions of “non-fatal strangulation,” as well as sexual content in which adults portray underage characters, starting Nov. 6, the U.K. Ministry of Justice announced Friday.

Show More