The Latest: Backpage.com CEO accused of money laundering

Published October 07, 2016

The Latest on the arrest of the chief executive officer of adult classified ad portal Backpage.com and the raid of his Dallas offices (all times local):

10:20 a.m.

A Texas search warrant affidavit accuses the chief executive of Backpage.com of engaging in money laundering while operating the adult classified ad portal.

The Dallas headquarters of Backpage.com were searched Thursday, the same day CEO Carl Ferrer was arrested after arriving in Houston on a flight from Amsterdam.

Ferrer was arrested on a California warrant. He is expected to appear in court in Houston on Friday for an extradition hearing.

California authorities say Ferrer was arrested on several pimping charges, including one involving minors. Under California law, pimping is defined as making money off prostitutes or soliciting customers for prostitution.

Backpage.com is a Dutch-owned limited liability corporation incorporated in Delaware. But its principal place of business in Dallas.

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6 a.m.

State agents have raided the Dallas offices of adult classified ad portal Backpage.com and arrested Chief Executive Officer Carl Ferrer following allegations that adult and child sex-trafficking victims were forced into prostitution through escort ads posted on the site.

Fifty-five-year-old Ferrer was arrested on a California warrant after arriving Thursday in Houston on a flight from Amsterdam. Authorities also issued warrants for the arrest of the site's controlling shareholders, sixty-eight-year-old Michael Lacey and sixty-seven-year-old James Larkin.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris said Ferrer was arrested on felony charges of pimping a minor, pimping, and conspiracy to commit pimping. Under California law, pimping is defined as making money off prostitutes or soliciting customers for prostitution.

Attorneys for the three company officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the charges.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/us/the-latest-backpage-com-ceo-accused-of-money-laundering