Sweet Entertainment Wins $3M in Copyright Infringement Case

ATLANTA — Sweet Entertainment Group, parent company of affiliate program SweetMoney and SweetErotica, has won its copyright infringement lawsuit against the Marin Group, DateApp (parent of Sickpuppy) and its principals Kenneth G. Farrar and John-Michael Cataldi, via summary judgment obtained by XBIZ.

Judge Timothy C. Batten Sr. of the U.S. District Court in Atlanta issued the default judgment against the defendants after they failed to show, or even respond to the charges.

Sweet Entertainment won $1,586,250 for statutory damages, an additional $1,586,250 for willful infringement, plus $12,717.71 in attorney fees, with interest, according to court documents.

The suit was filed Sept. 1 after Sweet Entertainment employees discovered its copyrighted images on the Sickpuppy affiliate network. According to a Sweet company representative, Sickpuppy continued to use Sweet’s images, even after being informed of the violation.

Multiple calls to Sweet and his attorney Stephen Yaklin requesting comment were not returned at press time.

In April 2004 Sweet was acquitted of 20 counts of distributing obscenity for combining explicit sex content with violence, torture and cruelty. He was arrested with three other employees from his company.

Three weeks into the trial, Judge R.R. Low determined based on the advent of the Internet since 1995, that the availability of sexually explicit material has become widespread, mainstream and requires a certain amount of participatory involvement from the viewer, which in effect would qualify as consensual involvement in the viewing of certain types of explicit or violent content. Based on that assessment and expert witnesses, the judge acquitted Sweet on all 20 counts.

Copyright © 2025 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

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult, Could Face Override

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Show More