Backpage.com seizure
Extended pass entry, last reviewed August 21, 2026
What was taken down?
Site infrastructure and domains seized; replaced with a law-enforcement seizure notice.
See what happenedWhat happened to the people?
Officials reported 7 charged.
2 charged and 1 convicted named in the public record.
Group accounted for: Likely complete
Did it stay down?
Not established in the public record. No later activity is recorded against this entry.
See what happened afterwardDOJ/FBI seized Backpage.com, a classified-advertising platform DOJ alleged was used to facilitate prostitution and sex trafficking, and indicted founders and executives.
- Date
- April 2018
- Target
- Backpage.com, classified ads platform
- Activity
- Trafficking and exploitation
- Operational lead
- FBI
- Partners
- DOJ[1]
- United States Department of Justice , prosecuting
- Jurisdiction
- Not established
- Outcome
- Site infrastructure and domains seized; replaced with a law-enforcement seizure notice.
- Status
- Completed
- Legal mechanism
- Federal indictment; seizure warrant.
- Group accounted for
- Likely complete
Infrastructure
1 domain seized.
- 1
- domain seized
| Identifier | Recorded as | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| backpage[.]com | 1 domain | Seized, United States | Not established[1] |
Domains and onion addresses are shown defanged. Where the record gives a count but no identifier, the count is shown in place of one. This list carries only what appears in the cited sources.
- 2
- charged
- 1
- convicted
Named in the public record: 2 charged and 1 convicted.
Figures count individuals named in charging documents and official statements, each person once per outcome. People alleged to be involved but not publicly identified are not counted.
| Person | Role | Current public status |
|---|---|---|
| CEO of Backpage.com | ChargedPleaded guilty | |
|
||
| Co-founder of Backpage.com | Charged | |
|
||
Carl Ferrer
CEO of Backpage.com. Current public status: Charged and Pleaded guilty.
- Charging authority
- United States Department of Justice
- Main charges
- Facilitating prostitution; Money laundering conspiracy
- Case number
- Not established in the public record
- Arresting authority
- Not established in the public record
- Arrest location
- Not established in the public record
- Extradition status
- Not established in the public record
- Conviction or plea
- Pleaded guilty
- Sentence
- Not established in the public record
- Segment
- Core operator
- Sources
- [1]
- Full record
- Everything indexed for Carl Ferrer
Michael Lacey
Co-founder of Backpage.com. Current public status: Charged.
- Charging authority
- United States Department of Justice
- Main charges
- Facilitating prostitution; Money laundering conspiracy
- Case number
- Not established in the public record
- Arresting authority
- Not established in the public record
- Arrest location
- Not established in the public record
- Extradition status
- Not established in the public record
- Conviction or plea
- Not established in the public record
- Sentence
- Not established in the public record
- Segment
- Core operator
- Sources
- [1]
- Full record
- Everything indexed for Michael Lacey
Rows expand to show charging authority, case identifiers, custody status, and sources.
Group accounted for: Likely complete
Founders and senior executives were indicted and prosecuted.
Not established in the public record. No later activity is recorded against this entry.
Numbered markers throughout this entry link to the source that supports the claim beside them.
Official sources
-
[1]
Justice Department leads seizure of Backpage.com, indicts founders
Establishes the Backpage.com seizure and the indictment of its founders and executives.