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

AV Bulletin: Loopholes and Lawsuits

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Utah 'Porn Tax' Bill Will Head to Governor's Desk

A bill that would tax adult websites and make them liable if minors circumvent geolocation has passed the Utah state legislature and will soon head to the office of Gov. Spencer Cox for signature or veto.

Flirt4Free Co-Founder Gregory Clayman Passes Away

Gregory Clayman, a pioneering figure in the live cam sector and cofounder of the long-running webcam platform Flirt4Free, has passed away.

Pornhub to Restrict Access in Australia as AV Rules Take Effect

Pornhub parent company Aylo will restrict access to its free video-sharing platforms in Australia in response to new age verification regulations, the company confirmed Thursday.

ASACP Announces F2F as 1st Gold Sponsor

The Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection (ASACP) has announced Friends2Follow (F2F) has upgraded its sponsorship and become the organization’s first Gold Sponsor.

House Committee Approves Online Safety Bill With Federal AV Requirement

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce on Thursday passed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act, which includes provisions to make age verification by adult websites federal law.

Segpay Adds 'Pay by Bank (UK)' Payment Solution

Segpay has added the Pay by Bank (UK) option to its direct payments solutions.

Federal Judge Orders Refunds for Companies That Paid Trump Tariffs

A judge for the U.S. Court of International Trade on Wednesday ordered U.S. Customs and Border Protection to refund duties paid under the Trump administration’s sweeping program of tariffs.

Creator Verification Platform 'VerifiedCollab' Launches

Performer Eli Thomas has launched VerifiedCollab, a verification platform for creators and producers.

House Committee to Weigh Online Safety Bill With Federal AV Requirement

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce will meet Thursday to consider and potentially amend the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act, which includes provisions to make age verification by adult websites federal law.

Show More