August 1, 2025 • 18 mins
There has been an update in the GirlsDoPorn story (episode #156 from 2020). In June 2025, Michael James Pratt pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges. This follows guilty pleas from the rest of the conspirators linked to the site that was shut down by federal authorities in 2019...
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
For years, the website Girls du Porn operated under a
facade of legitimacy while perpetrating a far reaching deception. Founded
in two thousand and nine by Michael James Pratt, the
site advertised fake modeling jobs to lure young women, often
in their late teens or early twenties, into filming pornographic videos.
Many women were told that they would be doing a
(00:30):
clothed photo shoot, only to discover upon arrival, usually in
San Diego, that the modeling gig was in fact a
pornographic film shoot. Pratt and his band of associates falsely
promised the women that these videos would never be posted
online or seen in the United States. They claimed that
the videos were for private collectors or for overseas DVDs only.
(00:51):
In truth, the videos were uploaded to the Girl's Dow
Porn website, with teaser clips posted on popular free sites
like Pornhub to drive traffic. Between twenty twelve and twenty nineteen,
Pratt's sites generated over seventeen million in subscription revenue as
millions watched those videos online. The impact on the victims
was devastating. Each woman was paid just a few thousand
(01:14):
dollars for their shoot often far less than promised, and
many endured hours of filming under durest despite being told
that it would be quick. Some women were not allowed
to leave until the video was completed. Others were threatened
with the lawsuits or canceled flights home if they tried
to back out. Several women later described being coerced into
sexual acts they had initially refused. After the shoots, believing
(01:37):
their videos would remain anonymous and overseas, the women returned home.
Then the betrayal came. The videos went live on the Internet,
and personal details of the women, such as their names,
their social media accounts, et cetera, were leaked on a
site run by Michael Pratt to expose the women. The
consequences were life altering. Victims recounted losing jobs, skullerships, being
(02:00):
evicted or disowned by their family. Many experienced anxiety, depression,
and post traumatic stress, and some attempted suicide. Legal action
began in twenty sixteen when twenty two women filed a
civil lawsuit against Pratt, co owner of the site, Matthew Wolfe,
male performer Reuben Andre Garcia, and others, alleging fraud, misrepresentation,
(02:22):
and emotional distress. In January twenty twenty, the San Diego
court ruled in the victim's favor, awarding roughly twelve point
seven million dollars in damages and granting the women ownership
of their videos. The Girl's Due Porn website was taken
offline that month. However, the women saw no payment for
quite some time, as Pratt had already filed a dubious
(02:43):
bankruptcy and fled the country. In December twenty twenty three,
Pornhub's parent company agreed to pay a one point eight
million dollar fine and compensation to these victims for hosting
the videos, one of several measures of belated accountability. Meanwhile,
a federal criminal invent instigation was underway. In October twenty nineteen,
(03:03):
a grand jury indicted Michael Pratt and several of his
associates on charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion.
By then, Pratt had liquidated his assets and fled the
United States to evade arrest. Over the following months, additional
indictments rolled out. By November twenty nineteen, six people tied
to Girls Due Porn were facing federal charges, and two
(03:26):
others were charged in December of that year. With obstruction
of the sex trafficking investigation. For over three years, Michael
Pratt remained a fugitive, one of the FBI's ten most
wanted criminals. The FBI plastered Pratt's face on wanted posters
and offered a one hundred thousand dollars reward for information
leading to his arrest. All the while, his co defendants
(03:47):
were being arraigned and some began to plead guilty back
in San Diego, but Pratt's luck ran out at the
end of twenty twenty two. In December, agents with the
Spanish National Police tracked Pratt down in Madrid's Spain and
placed him under arrest. The international manhunt was finally over
after nearly three years. Pratt, then forty years old, was
(04:08):
in custody in a foreign jail as US authorities began
working to bring him back to face justice. The extradition
process took some time, as Pratt initially fought it in court.
He remained detained in Spain throughout twenty twenty three while
the US government pursued his return on the sex trafficking, coercion,
and child pornography charges. Finally, in March, twenty twenty four,
(04:30):
Michael Pratt was extradited to San Diego under tight security.
After five years on the run. The alleged mastermind of
the Girls Du porn schemes set foot on US soil
to answer for his crimes. Pratt made his first appearance
in San Diego Federal Court on March nineteen, twenty twenty four.
(04:53):
Shackled and flanked by U S Marshals, he was formally
arraigned on a nineteen count indictment that included charges of
sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a minor, production of child pornography,
and money laundering. Pratt entered a not guilty plea at
the arraignment. At a detention hearing two days later, he
waived his right to bail, agreeing to remain in custody
(05:14):
while awaiting trial. His attorney noted the waiver was without prejudice,
meaning Pratt reserved the right to request bail later, but
for the time being, he would stay behind bars. Given
the gravity of the charges. In Pratt's history as a fugitive,
there was little doubt that he would remain jailed through
the legal proceedings. For the victims and the prosecutors Pratt's
(05:35):
capture marked a turning point. One federal prosecutor described it
as the beginning of the end of this long fight
for justice. Pratt's arrest meant that the last and arguably
most culpable figure in this game was finally facing a
court room, a moment that many victims feared might never come. Still,
a challenging road lay ahead. A complex trial loomed, potentially
(05:57):
featuring testimony from dozens of women describing traumatic experiences. Pratt
initially maintained his innocence, setting the stage for a high
profile trial, but as you can imagine, developments in the
case would soon change that trajectory. While Pratt had been
(06:19):
on the run, the legal cases against his co conspirators
moved forward. One by one. They began to accept responsibility
in federal court, shedding more light on the coercive and
abusive porn scheme and ensuring that key players were held accountable.
Reuben Andre Garcia, now thirty six years old, was the
male performer featured in most of the Girls Do Porn
(06:40):
videos and a recruiter of new victims. In many ways,
Garcia was Pratt's on camera accomplice and enforcer. Prosecutors say.
It was Garcia whom Pratt tasked with finding young women
and even reference girls. Women paid the lie to new
recruits about how the videos would be used chillingly. At
least one victim was underage during filming. Garcia was arrested
(07:03):
in October twenty nineteen along with Matthew Wolfe. Facing overwhelming
evidence and testimony, Garcia eventually pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges.
In June twenty twenty one, a federal judge sentenced Reuben
Andre Garcia to twenty years in prison for his role
in the scheme. Garcia, who once boasted of his porn performances,
(07:23):
apologized in court and acknowledged that he had devastated the
lives of numerous young women. He is currently serving his
twenty year sentence in a federal prison. Then there's Theodore
or Teddy Ghee, a contract videographer for Girls Due Porn
who also chose to cooperate with authorities. Ghee filmed over
one hundred of the videos and was present for many
(07:43):
of the co worst sex acts, making him a witness
to the deceptive tactics used by Girls Due Porn. He
was indicted for his part in the conspiracy, and by
mid twenty twenty one he agreed to plead guilty to
a conspiracy count. Ghee provided information to investigators, pressing remorse
for the pain that the videos caused. In November twenty
(08:03):
twenty two, Judge Janis Sammartino sentenced Theodore Ghee to four
years in prison. This relatively lesser sentence reflected in part
Ghie's lesser role and his cooperation with authorities. He also
was later ordered to pay over one hundred thousand dollars
in restitution to victims while serving his term. Ghee was
the camera operator behind many of the scenes, but victims
(08:25):
noted that he too had lied to them about the
video's staying offline. In fact, evidence showed that Matthew Wolfe
instructed Teddy Ghee to light to the women if asked,
and Gee admitted he did so on Pratt's orders. Ghee's
sentencing in twenty twenty two was another milestone, as he
publicly apologized and the court acknowledged his assistance in securing
other convictions. Valerie Moser, forty two years old, served as
(08:50):
Girls du Porn's office manager and bookkeeper. She handled payments
and logistics for many of the shoots, and victims recalled
her being one of the contacts who arranged their travel.
Moser was charged as part of the conspiracy for helping
facilitate the fraud. She too, eventually pleaded guilty, specifically to
conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. In exchange for a possible
(09:11):
lighter sentence. Moser has been cooperating with federal authorities. It's
believed she provided insight into the company's finances and Michael
Pratt's flight from justice. As of now, Moser awaits sentencing.
Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for September twenty twenty five,
so about in a month. Given her cooperation, she may
receive leniency, but the judge will consider her involvement in
(09:35):
enabling Michael Pratt's scheme. Finally, we get to Matthew Isaac Wolfe,
forty three years old, who was Pratt's closest partner and
longtime friend. If you recall from my original episode, Wolfe
co owned Girls Duporn and was deeply involved in every
aspect of it. He helped recruit victims alongside Pratt, often
operated the video camera, filming approximately one hundred videos. Himself,
(09:58):
managed the business's book and oversaw the show companies they
used for the ruse. Wolf, like Michael Pratt, hails from
New Zealand. He moved to the US in twenty eleven
specifically to work on this porn venture. When the FBI
raid came in October twenty nineteen, Wolf was arrested alongside
Reuben Garcia. Initially, Wolf fought the charges and maintained his innocence,
(10:20):
but as evidence mounted, including the harrowing victim testimony, Wolf
opted to change his plea. On July twenty sixth, twenty
twenty two, Wolf pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex
trafficking by admitting his role. Wolf acknowledged that he had
lied to women and even instructed others like Teddy Gee,
to lie, fully aware that the videos would be disseminated online.
(10:42):
Wolf remained in custody while awaiting sentencing. During that period,
many victims prepared statements to address him in court. In
January twenty twenty four, and again at Wolf's sentencing hearing
in March, approximately thirty survivors stood up in the courtroom
to speak about what the defendant had done to their lives.
The accounts were wrenching. The women spoke of shattered trust,
(11:03):
public humiliation, and even years of trauma. Many described struggling
with substance abuse, depression, and even multiple suicide attempts as
a direct result of the videos being posted online. One
young woman pulled the court that ad seemed harmless, but
it wrecked my entire life. The fallout from the videos
spread to every part of my life like cancer. I
(11:23):
lost my modeling career, my college years, my whole twenties,
my friends, and my family. Matthew Wolfe stole my life.
And it wasn't just my life, he stole hundreds of lives.
Another survivor shared, I was robbed of my privacy, my dignity,
and my peace of mind. But worst of all, I
was robbed of my identity. Mister Wolf shattered who I
(11:44):
was today. I'm taking my identity back. I am not
a victim. I'm a survivor. On March nineteenth, twenty twenty four,
Matthew Wolfe was sentenced to fourteen years in federal prison
for his role in the conspiracy. US Attorney Tara McGrath
praised the survivors who confronted wolf, saying, we applaud all
survivors who courageously speak out in pursuit of justice. Their
(12:07):
voices rang out in the courtroom today, and we stand
beside them and holding mister Wolf accountable for the incredible
pain and suffering he caused. FBI Special Agent in Charge
Stacy moy echoed that sentiment, calling Wolfe's actions a sordid
picture of exploitation. She continued, Wolf's sentencing today and any
past or future proceedings related to this case are small
(12:29):
slivers of justice for the victims, but ultimately don't fully
heal the deep pain that was caused by the defendants.
These official statements highlighted that while the legal system can
punish the perpetrators, true healing for the victims is an
ongoing process for many. It never ends. With Wolf, Garcia,
and Gee now convicted and serving time, and Valerie Moser
(12:51):
awaiting punishment, only Michael Pratt, the ring leader, remained to
be fully brought to justice. After his extradition and initial
not guilty plea, Michael Pratt was stirring down a potential
life sentence if convicted on all counts. Over a dozen
women were prepared to testify about how Pratt personally deceived, coerced,
(13:13):
and even physically forced them during filming. In a notable example,
victim number one from the indictment recounted how Pratt himself
rushed her through signing a contract without letting her read it,
filmed her for hours despite promising a short shoot, and
then ignored her desperate please to remove the video once
it appeared online. Faced with such evidence, Pratt eventually chose
(13:34):
to cut his losses. On June fifth, twenty twenty five,
in a surprise development, Michael Pratt pleaded guilty in federal
court to two key counts, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking
covering the years of twenty twelve to twenty nineteen, and
sex trafficking of one victim from May of twenty twelve.
This plea was part of an agreement with prosecutors, likely
(13:56):
in exchange for dropping the remaining charges. In his plea deal,
Pratt admitted in detail to being the mastermind of the
entire scheme. He confessed that he came up with the
idea for Girls Due Porn and ran it with Matthew
Wolfe as a single venture, even launching a companion site
called Girls Do Toys to maximize profits. Pratt acknowledged that
(14:17):
he and his employees routinely lied to recruits about the
videos never going online, knowing full well that these promises
were false. He admitted to using reference girls young women
paid to provide false reassurance to hesitant models, a tactic
that Reuben Andre Garcia helped implement. Pratt also admitted that
he took active steps to hide the fact that he
(14:37):
owned Girl's Due porn, using fake business names like begin
Modeling and Bubblegum Casting on paperwork so the victims would
not realize the connection. In short, Pratt put to rest
any illusion that he was uninvolved or unaware he owned
it all, profited immensely, and disregarded the harm to the victims.
By entering this guilty plea, Michael Pratt avoided lengthy trial
(15:00):
and spare the victims the ordeal of reliving their trauma
on the witness stand. However, he now faces a severe
penalty under the law. Sex trafficking. Conspiracy alone carries up
to a life in prison with a mandatory minimum of
fifteen years. Pratt is scheduled to be sentenced on September eight,
twenty twenty five, before Judge Sam Martino. Prosecutors are expected
(15:22):
to seek a term that could keep the forty two
year old Pratt in prison for decades, potentially for the
rest of his life. Given the scope of Pratt's crimes,
it would not be surprising to see a sentence at
or near life imprisonment. It is not known what sentence
will be sought, but any request for leniency will have
to contend with the gravity of the offenses in Pratt's
(15:42):
attempt to evade justice for years. As of this update,
two final court dates remain on the horizon. There's Pratt's
sentencing in early September and a week later, Valerie Moser's sentencing,
which will take place on September twelfth. Moser, having pleaded
guilty to the conspiracy, will likely receive a lesser sentence
than the others due to her role and cooperation, but
(16:04):
she still faces potentially a decade or more behind bars.
Federal prosecutors have emphasized that each participant in this scheme,
no matter how peripheral, played a part in the victimization
and will be held to account. Looking back, the road
(16:29):
to justice and the Girl's due porn case has been
long and arduous. It spanned multiple court cases, both civil
and criminal, and required the bravery of dozens of young
women speaking out about deeply personal trauma. Over the years,
some observers worried that Michael Pratt might escape consequences entirely
by hiding abroad, but with his capture and guilty plea,
(16:51):
that doubt has been erased. All the principal conspirators in
the Girl's Due porn enterprise have now either been convicted
by a jury or admitted their guilt in court. Reuben
Andre Garcia is serving twenty years in federal prison. Matthew
Wolfe is serving fourteen years. Petty Gee served his term,
which was four years, and demonstrated remorse for his actions.
(17:11):
Valerie Moser awaits the court's judgment, having turned on the
boss she once assisted, and Michael Pratt, the architect of
this cruel scheme, will soon stand before a judge for
final sentencing. In the courtroom, many of the survivors have
finally had the chance to address those that wronged them
and to reclaim their narratives. The justice system slow grind
(17:31):
has at last caught up to Michael Pratt and his accomplices. Now,
nearly six years after the scheme was exposed and the
first charges were filed, Accountability is at hand. The men
and women behind Girls Duporn have been unmasked and brought
to justice one by one, and with Michael Pratt soon
to be sentenced, this story may finally be headed toward resolution.
(18:03):
Pten batea
For years, the website Girls du Porn operated under a
facade of legitimacy while perpetrating a far reaching deception. Founded
in two thousand and nine by Michael James Pratt, the
site advertised fake modeling jobs to lure young women, often
in their late teens or early twenties, into filming pornographic videos.
Many women were told that they would be doing a
(00:30):
clothed photo shoot, only to discover upon arrival, usually in
San Diego, that the modeling gig was in fact a
pornographic film shoot. Pratt and his band of associates falsely
promised the women that these videos would never be posted
online or seen in the United States. They claimed that
the videos were for private collectors or for overseas DVDs only.
(00:51):
In truth, the videos were uploaded to the Girl's Dow
Porn website, with teaser clips posted on popular free sites
like Pornhub to drive traffic. Between twenty twelve and twenty nineteen,
Pratt's sites generated over seventeen million in subscription revenue as
millions watched those videos online. The impact on the victims
was devastating. Each woman was paid just a few thousand
(01:14):
dollars for their shoot often far less than promised, and
many endured hours of filming under durest despite being told
that it would be quick. Some women were not allowed
to leave until the video was completed. Others were threatened
with the lawsuits or canceled flights home if they tried
to back out. Several women later described being coerced into
sexual acts they had initially refused. After the shoots, believing
(01:37):
their videos would remain anonymous and overseas, the women returned home.
Then the betrayal came. The videos went live on the Internet,
and personal details of the women, such as their names,
their social media accounts, et cetera, were leaked on a
site run by Michael Pratt to expose the women. The
consequences were life altering. Victims recounted losing jobs, skullerships, being
(02:00):
evicted or disowned by their family. Many experienced anxiety, depression,
and post traumatic stress, and some attempted suicide. Legal action
began in twenty sixteen when twenty two women filed a
civil lawsuit against Pratt, co owner of the site, Matthew Wolfe,
male performer Reuben Andre Garcia, and others, alleging fraud, misrepresentation,
(02:22):
and emotional distress. In January twenty twenty, the San Diego
court ruled in the victim's favor, awarding roughly twelve point
seven million dollars in damages and granting the women ownership
of their videos. The Girl's Due Porn website was taken
offline that month. However, the women saw no payment for
quite some time, as Pratt had already filed a dubious
(02:43):
bankruptcy and fled the country. In December twenty twenty three,
Pornhub's parent company agreed to pay a one point eight
million dollar fine and compensation to these victims for hosting
the videos, one of several measures of belated accountability. Meanwhile,
a federal criminal invent instigation was underway. In October twenty nineteen,
(03:03):
a grand jury indicted Michael Pratt and several of his
associates on charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion.
By then, Pratt had liquidated his assets and fled the
United States to evade arrest. Over the following months, additional
indictments rolled out. By November twenty nineteen, six people tied
to Girls Due Porn were facing federal charges, and two
(03:26):
others were charged in December of that year. With obstruction
of the sex trafficking investigation. For over three years, Michael
Pratt remained a fugitive, one of the FBI's ten most
wanted criminals. The FBI plastered Pratt's face on wanted posters
and offered a one hundred thousand dollars reward for information
leading to his arrest. All the while, his co defendants
(03:47):
were being arraigned and some began to plead guilty back
in San Diego, but Pratt's luck ran out at the
end of twenty twenty two. In December, agents with the
Spanish National Police tracked Pratt down in Madrid's Spain and
placed him under arrest. The international manhunt was finally over
after nearly three years. Pratt, then forty years old, was
(04:08):
in custody in a foreign jail as US authorities began
working to bring him back to face justice. The extradition
process took some time, as Pratt initially fought it in court.
He remained detained in Spain throughout twenty twenty three while
the US government pursued his return on the sex trafficking, coercion,
and child pornography charges. Finally, in March, twenty twenty four,
(04:30):
Michael Pratt was extradited to San Diego under tight security.
After five years on the run. The alleged mastermind of
the Girls Du porn schemes set foot on US soil
to answer for his crimes. Pratt made his first appearance
in San Diego Federal Court on March nineteen, twenty twenty four.
(04:53):
Shackled and flanked by U S Marshals, he was formally
arraigned on a nineteen count indictment that included charges of
sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a minor, production of child pornography,
and money laundering. Pratt entered a not guilty plea at
the arraignment. At a detention hearing two days later, he
waived his right to bail, agreeing to remain in custody
(05:14):
while awaiting trial. His attorney noted the waiver was without prejudice,
meaning Pratt reserved the right to request bail later, but
for the time being, he would stay behind bars. Given
the gravity of the charges. In Pratt's history as a fugitive,
there was little doubt that he would remain jailed through
the legal proceedings. For the victims and the prosecutors Pratt's
(05:35):
capture marked a turning point. One federal prosecutor described it
as the beginning of the end of this long fight
for justice. Pratt's arrest meant that the last and arguably
most culpable figure in this game was finally facing a
court room, a moment that many victims feared might never come. Still,
a challenging road lay ahead. A complex trial loomed, potentially
(05:57):
featuring testimony from dozens of women describing traumatic experiences. Pratt
initially maintained his innocence, setting the stage for a high
profile trial, but as you can imagine, developments in the
case would soon change that trajectory. While Pratt had been
(06:19):
on the run, the legal cases against his co conspirators
moved forward. One by one. They began to accept responsibility
in federal court, shedding more light on the coercive and
abusive porn scheme and ensuring that key players were held accountable.
Reuben Andre Garcia, now thirty six years old, was the
male performer featured in most of the Girls Do Porn
(06:40):
videos and a recruiter of new victims. In many ways,
Garcia was Pratt's on camera accomplice and enforcer. Prosecutors say.
It was Garcia whom Pratt tasked with finding young women
and even reference girls. Women paid the lie to new
recruits about how the videos would be used chillingly. At
least one victim was underage during filming. Garcia was arrested
(07:03):
in October twenty nineteen along with Matthew Wolfe. Facing overwhelming
evidence and testimony, Garcia eventually pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges.
In June twenty twenty one, a federal judge sentenced Reuben
Andre Garcia to twenty years in prison for his role
in the scheme. Garcia, who once boasted of his porn performances,
(07:23):
apologized in court and acknowledged that he had devastated the
lives of numerous young women. He is currently serving his
twenty year sentence in a federal prison. Then there's Theodore
or Teddy Ghee, a contract videographer for Girls Due Porn
who also chose to cooperate with authorities. Ghee filmed over
one hundred of the videos and was present for many
(07:43):
of the co worst sex acts, making him a witness
to the deceptive tactics used by Girls Due Porn. He
was indicted for his part in the conspiracy, and by
mid twenty twenty one he agreed to plead guilty to
a conspiracy count. Ghee provided information to investigators, pressing remorse
for the pain that the videos caused. In November twenty
(08:03):
twenty two, Judge Janis Sammartino sentenced Theodore Ghee to four
years in prison. This relatively lesser sentence reflected in part
Ghie's lesser role and his cooperation with authorities. He also
was later ordered to pay over one hundred thousand dollars
in restitution to victims while serving his term. Ghee was
the camera operator behind many of the scenes, but victims
(08:25):
noted that he too had lied to them about the
video's staying offline. In fact, evidence showed that Matthew Wolfe
instructed Teddy Ghee to light to the women if asked,
and Gee admitted he did so on Pratt's orders. Ghee's
sentencing in twenty twenty two was another milestone, as he
publicly apologized and the court acknowledged his assistance in securing
other convictions. Valerie Moser, forty two years old, served as
(08:50):
Girls du Porn's office manager and bookkeeper. She handled payments
and logistics for many of the shoots, and victims recalled
her being one of the contacts who arranged their travel.
Moser was charged as part of the conspiracy for helping
facilitate the fraud. She too, eventually pleaded guilty, specifically to
conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. In exchange for a possible
(09:11):
lighter sentence. Moser has been cooperating with federal authorities. It's
believed she provided insight into the company's finances and Michael
Pratt's flight from justice. As of now, Moser awaits sentencing.
Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for September twenty twenty five,
so about in a month. Given her cooperation, she may
receive leniency, but the judge will consider her involvement in
(09:35):
enabling Michael Pratt's scheme. Finally, we get to Matthew Isaac Wolfe,
forty three years old, who was Pratt's closest partner and
longtime friend. If you recall from my original episode, Wolfe
co owned Girls Duporn and was deeply involved in every
aspect of it. He helped recruit victims alongside Pratt, often
operated the video camera, filming approximately one hundred videos. Himself,
(09:58):
managed the business's book and oversaw the show companies they
used for the ruse. Wolf, like Michael Pratt, hails from
New Zealand. He moved to the US in twenty eleven
specifically to work on this porn venture. When the FBI
raid came in October twenty nineteen, Wolf was arrested alongside
Reuben Garcia. Initially, Wolf fought the charges and maintained his innocence,
(10:20):
but as evidence mounted, including the harrowing victim testimony, Wolf
opted to change his plea. On July twenty sixth, twenty
twenty two, Wolf pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex
trafficking by admitting his role. Wolf acknowledged that he had
lied to women and even instructed others like Teddy Gee,
to lie, fully aware that the videos would be disseminated online.
(10:42):
Wolf remained in custody while awaiting sentencing. During that period,
many victims prepared statements to address him in court. In
January twenty twenty four, and again at Wolf's sentencing hearing
in March, approximately thirty survivors stood up in the courtroom
to speak about what the defendant had done to their lives.
The accounts were wrenching. The women spoke of shattered trust,
(11:03):
public humiliation, and even years of trauma. Many described struggling
with substance abuse, depression, and even multiple suicide attempts as
a direct result of the videos being posted online. One
young woman pulled the court that ad seemed harmless, but
it wrecked my entire life. The fallout from the videos
spread to every part of my life like cancer. I
(11:23):
lost my modeling career, my college years, my whole twenties,
my friends, and my family. Matthew Wolfe stole my life.
And it wasn't just my life, he stole hundreds of lives.
Another survivor shared, I was robbed of my privacy, my dignity,
and my peace of mind. But worst of all, I
was robbed of my identity. Mister Wolf shattered who I
(11:44):
was today. I'm taking my identity back. I am not
a victim. I'm a survivor. On March nineteenth, twenty twenty four,
Matthew Wolfe was sentenced to fourteen years in federal prison
for his role in the conspiracy. US Attorney Tara McGrath
praised the survivors who confronted wolf, saying, we applaud all
survivors who courageously speak out in pursuit of justice. Their
(12:07):
voices rang out in the courtroom today, and we stand
beside them and holding mister Wolf accountable for the incredible
pain and suffering he caused. FBI Special Agent in Charge
Stacy moy echoed that sentiment, calling Wolfe's actions a sordid
picture of exploitation. She continued, Wolf's sentencing today and any
past or future proceedings related to this case are small
(12:29):
slivers of justice for the victims, but ultimately don't fully
heal the deep pain that was caused by the defendants.
These official statements highlighted that while the legal system can
punish the perpetrators, true healing for the victims is an
ongoing process for many. It never ends. With Wolf, Garcia,
and Gee now convicted and serving time, and Valerie Moser
(12:51):
awaiting punishment, only Michael Pratt, the ring leader, remained to
be fully brought to justice. After his extradition and initial
not guilty plea, Michael Pratt was stirring down a potential
life sentence if convicted on all counts. Over a dozen
women were prepared to testify about how Pratt personally deceived, coerced,
(13:13):
and even physically forced them during filming. In a notable example,
victim number one from the indictment recounted how Pratt himself
rushed her through signing a contract without letting her read it,
filmed her for hours despite promising a short shoot, and
then ignored her desperate please to remove the video once
it appeared online. Faced with such evidence, Pratt eventually chose
(13:34):
to cut his losses. On June fifth, twenty twenty five,
in a surprise development, Michael Pratt pleaded guilty in federal
court to two key counts, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking
covering the years of twenty twelve to twenty nineteen, and
sex trafficking of one victim from May of twenty twelve.
This plea was part of an agreement with prosecutors, likely
(13:56):
in exchange for dropping the remaining charges. In his plea deal,
Pratt admitted in detail to being the mastermind of the
entire scheme. He confessed that he came up with the
idea for Girls Due Porn and ran it with Matthew
Wolfe as a single venture, even launching a companion site
called Girls Do Toys to maximize profits. Pratt acknowledged that
(14:17):
he and his employees routinely lied to recruits about the
videos never going online, knowing full well that these promises
were false. He admitted to using reference girls young women
paid to provide false reassurance to hesitant models, a tactic
that Reuben Andre Garcia helped implement. Pratt also admitted that
he took active steps to hide the fact that he
(14:37):
owned Girl's Due porn, using fake business names like begin
Modeling and Bubblegum Casting on paperwork so the victims would
not realize the connection. In short, Pratt put to rest
any illusion that he was uninvolved or unaware he owned
it all, profited immensely, and disregarded the harm to the victims.
By entering this guilty plea, Michael Pratt avoided lengthy trial
(15:00):
and spare the victims the ordeal of reliving their trauma
on the witness stand. However, he now faces a severe
penalty under the law. Sex trafficking. Conspiracy alone carries up
to a life in prison with a mandatory minimum of
fifteen years. Pratt is scheduled to be sentenced on September eight,
twenty twenty five, before Judge Sam Martino. Prosecutors are expected
(15:22):
to seek a term that could keep the forty two
year old Pratt in prison for decades, potentially for the
rest of his life. Given the scope of Pratt's crimes,
it would not be surprising to see a sentence at
or near life imprisonment. It is not known what sentence
will be sought, but any request for leniency will have
to contend with the gravity of the offenses in Pratt's
(15:42):
attempt to evade justice for years. As of this update,
two final court dates remain on the horizon. There's Pratt's
sentencing in early September and a week later, Valerie Moser's sentencing,
which will take place on September twelfth. Moser, having pleaded
guilty to the conspiracy, will likely receive a lesser sentence
than the others due to her role and cooperation, but
(16:04):
she still faces potentially a decade or more behind bars.
Federal prosecutors have emphasized that each participant in this scheme,
no matter how peripheral, played a part in the victimization
and will be held to account. Looking back, the road
(16:29):
to justice and the Girl's due porn case has been
long and arduous. It spanned multiple court cases, both civil
and criminal, and required the bravery of dozens of young
women speaking out about deeply personal trauma. Over the years,
some observers worried that Michael Pratt might escape consequences entirely
by hiding abroad, but with his capture and guilty plea,
(16:51):
that doubt has been erased. All the principal conspirators in
the Girl's Due porn enterprise have now either been convicted
by a jury or admitted their guilt in court. Reuben
Andre Garcia is serving twenty years in federal prison. Matthew
Wolfe is serving fourteen years. Petty Gee served his term,
which was four years, and demonstrated remorse for his actions.
(17:11):
Valerie Moser awaits the court's judgment, having turned on the
boss she once assisted, and Michael Pratt, the architect of
this cruel scheme, will soon stand before a judge for
final sentencing. In the courtroom, many of the survivors have
finally had the chance to address those that wronged them
and to reclaim their narratives. The justice system slow grind
(17:31):
has at last caught up to Michael Pratt and his accomplices. Now,
nearly six years after the scheme was exposed and the
first charges were filed, Accountability is at hand. The men
and women behind Girls Duporn have been unmasked and brought
to justice one by one, and with Michael Pratt soon
to be sentenced, this story may finally be headed toward resolution.
(18:03):
Pten batea
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