Warrant Issued for Girls Gone Wild Founder Joe Francis' Arrest

LOS ANGELES — A federal judge yesterday issued a warrant for Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis’ arrest after he failed to turn over a 2012 Bentley Flying Spur and a 2007 Cadillac Escalade in a bankruptcy case.

U.S. District Judge Fernando M. Olguin issued the warrant after the district court was tapped by the bankruptcy court to determine possible incarceration for civil contempt.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sandra Klein last summer ordered $5,000-a-day fines against Francis for not handing over the vehicles, which were previously Girls Gone Wild company cars.

The cars were reported by Francis to have been seized by a Mexican strip club operator after the company defaulted on a promotion deal. As a result, Francis said he can't produce the cars allegedly taken in Guadalajara.

So far, Francis could owe at least $1.3 million in fines based on Klein’s $5,000-a-day fines ordered last summer.

According to court records and recent tabloid stories, Francis and his wife, Abbey Wilson, are currently living in Mexico with their baby twin girls.

Francis and Wilson late last year made a plea to the court to avoid travel to the U.S. for depositions, saying it would be a burden to travel to the U.S. because their daughters were born premature and lack U.S. passports; instead the couple told the court that they could be deposed in Mexico telephonically.

But Francis, facing jail time in the U.S., is immune from extradition in Mexico. The U.S. and Mexico provides for the capture and return of those who face criminal charges, not civil contempt.

GGW Acquisition bought Girls Gone Wild assets for $1.825 million at bankruptcy auction last year.

The company's assets went up for sale after Francis-operated companies filed Chapter 11 in a purported pre-emptive move to stave off Las Vegas entertainment mogul Steve Wynn and his companies from taking assets as repayment for more than $30 million in gambling debts.

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 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

BasisDx Adds Expedited Results Option for 'Pro13' Home Testing Kit

PASS-certified home testing kit provider BasisDx has added a new option for expedited test results for its Pro13 kit.

Braindance Unveils '6DOF' VR Tech

Interactive virtual reality platform Braindance has debuted its new Six Degrees of Freedom (6DOF) VR technology.

Kalani Luana Stars in Latest From Hookup Hotshot

Kalani Luana stars with Nade Nasty in the latest release from Hookup Hotshot (HUHS).

Lilyadick Makes Her TransAngels Debut

Canadian star Lilyadick has made her debut for TransAngels alongside Parker Savage in the video game-themed scene “Playing With The NPC Babe.”

Kazumi Stars in Latest From Tushy

Kazumi stars with Milan Ponjevic, Jax Slayher and Dan Damage in a new airtight scene from Vixen Media Group (VMG) studio imprint Tushy.

Kiiroo, Pineapple Support Launch 'Empower Hour' Series on FeelHubX YouTube Channel

Kiiroo and Pineapple Support have teamed up to launch the “Empower Hour” series on the FeelHubX YouTube channel.

Cherry Kiss Toplines Pat Myne's 'Anal Fetish Babes'

Cherry Kiss headlines director Pat Myne’s “Anal Fetish Babes,” from Evil Angel.

Kansas Law Firm Deploys Religion, Bunk Science While Recruiting Plaintiffs Under AV Law

Kansas-based personal injury law firm Mann Wyatt Tanksley is promoting debunked scientific theories and leveraging religious affiliation against the industry while it seeks potential plaintiffs for lawsuits against adult companies under the state’s age verification law.

UK Tech Secretary Lists Age Verification Among OSA Priorities

Peter Kyle, the U.K.’s Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, on Wednesday made public a draft version of his priorities for implementing the Online Safety Act (OSA), including age verification.

Nicole Aria Stars in Latest From Jules Jordan

Nicole Aria stars with John Strong and Zac Wild in the latest release from Jules Jordan.

Show More