Episode 117 - Breaking News: Backpage Founders Sentenced

In today’s episode of ‘TSEGP What’s in the News’, Vivian examines the long-awaited sentencing of the three Backpage founders: Michael Lacey, Scott Spear, and John “Jed” Brunst.

Now in their 70s, these men have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from five to ten years, with an additional three years of supervised release.

They have been ordered to surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service by noon on September 11th.

Notably absent from the court's discussions was any mention of the trafficking victims supposedly rescued—shifting the focus instead to the financial crimes, such as money laundering, rather than the lives affected by trafficking.

This case began in 2018, around the same time our podcast was launched, and it has reshaped our industry in profound ways, alongside the effects of the pandemic. But the question remains: was justice truly served?

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