Last Friday, a pre-trial hearing was held in a Phoenix federal court regarding the ongoing government lawsuit against former Backpage owner Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin.
Reason magazine has just published two memos written by federal prosecutors that contradict the government’s allegation that Backpage’s business model included child prostitution and “sex trafficking.”
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling yesterday sending back the Backpage case (known as “USA vs. Larkin” after Jim Larkin, former co-owner with Mike Lacey of the adult online classifieds website) to Judge R. Gary Klausner of the Central District of California.
As proceedings against Backpage.com founders Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin continue unraveling in California courts, the sentencing of former associate Carl Ferrer, who is now cooperating with the government as a witness against them, has been delayed until July 2020.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals today heard oral arguments from the appellants and the U.S. government regarding the shutting down of the Backpage.com classifieds website and the seizure of millions of dollars in assets.
Former Backpage owner Michael Lacey, who appeared alongside business partner Jim Larkin at a Libertarian gathering in Phoenix last Friday, claimed that the political/legal campaign to shut down the popular classifieds website was fueled by a "moral panic, based on a false premise [and it] has put sex workers in danger’s way.”
