A federal judge has ordered Michael Pratt, the ringleader behind the GirlsDoPorn sex trafficking operation, to pay $75.6 million in restitution to more than 100 victims of his criminal enterprise. U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino issued the restitution order Thursday in San Diego, following Pratt's conviction for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
Pratt operated the GirlsDoPorn website from 2007 to 2019, exploiting hundreds of young women through a deceptive scheme that promised modeling opportunities but instead coerced victims into pornographic performances. The operation lured women to San Diego under false pretenses, telling them they would be participating in modeling shoots. Instead, victims were pressured into filming pornographic content that was widely distributed across the internet, despite explicit promises that the videos would not be shared publicly.
The court-ordered restitution totaling $75,568,283.47 will be distributed among the victims based on their individual losses and circumstances. According to court documents, approximately $17 million will be allocated to victims on a pro rata basis, with each recipient receiving compensation proportional to their documented losses. The remaining $58,645,485.47 will be paid directly to 106 identified victims.
The restitution amounts vary significantly among victims, reflecting the different degrees of harm suffered. Court records show the average restitution payment per victim is approximately $553,000. However, individual awards range dramatically from as little as $440 to nearly $7 million for the most severely impacted victim, illustrating the varying levels of exploitation and resulting damages.
Pratt, who was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison last September, had already been held criminally accountable for his role in the trafficking scheme. The restitution order represents a separate civil remedy designed to provide financial compensation to victims for the extensive harm they suffered.
"Today's $76 million restitution order is a powerful acknowledgment of the lifelong harm inflicted on these women," U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California said. "While no amount of money would fully remedy what they endured, this order holds Pratt financially accountable for some part of the harm that he caused these victims."
Beyond the financial compensation, Judge Sammartino's order includes additional protections for victims. The ruling strips Pratt of any rights to use the likeness of models who appeared in GirlsDoPorn or its affiliated site GirlsDoToys, which operated under the abbreviations GDP and GDT. The court declared that "all purported model releases and other agreements between GDP and/or GDT and its models purporting to give GDP and/or GDT the right to use, publish, or otherwise exploit its models' images, likenesses, or videos are void and unenforceable."
This provision ensures that victims retain control over their images and prevents further unauthorized distribution of the content created through the trafficking scheme. The voiding of all previous agreements represents a complete rejection of the fraudulent contracts used to justify the exploitation.
The restitution order extends beyond Pratt to include his co-conspirators, who were integral to the operation's success. Matthew Wolfe and Theodore Gyi, both videographers who recorded the exploitative content, bear joint responsibility for the payments. Andre Garcia, an actor in the productions, and Valerie Moser, who served as the operation's bookkeeper, are also liable for restitution payments. All co-conspirators have received separate criminal sentences for their roles in the trafficking ring.
Additionally, Douglas Wiederhold, another actor involved in the scheme, was recently sentenced to prison in a related case, though his prosecution proceeded separately from the main conspiracy charges.
The GirlsDoPorn case represents one of the most extensive prosecutions of internet-based sex trafficking in recent years. The operation's use of deceptive advertising and false promises to recruit victims demonstrates the evolving tactics employed by modern trafficking enterprises. The scheme exploited the internet's global reach to distribute content while using legitimate-appearing business practices to mask criminal activity.
Judge Sammartino, who was appointed to the federal bench by President George W. Bush, has presided over the complex case that involved multiple defendants and numerous victims across several years. The substantial restitution award reflects both the scope of the criminal enterprise and the court's recognition of the lasting trauma inflicted on victims.
The $76 million restitution order, while providing some measure of financial relief to victims, cannot fully address the ongoing psychological and social harm caused by the trafficking scheme. Many victims continue to face challenges related to the unauthorized distribution of intimate images and the violation of their privacy and dignity.
The case highlights the importance of robust legal remedies for trafficking victims and the potential for substantial financial accountability in cases involving commercial sexual exploitation. The restitution order serves both as compensation for victims and as a deterrent to others who might consider similar criminal enterprises.