San Diego judge orders GirlsDoPorn owner Michael Pratt to pay $76 million to trafficking victims

A major civil award follows years of criminal prosecutions tied to a San Diego-based pornography operation

A San Diego judge has ordered GirlsDoPorn owner Michael James Pratt to pay $76 million to women identified as victims of sex trafficking linked to the now-defunct adult-content enterprise. The order adds a significant civil damages component to a legal saga that has already produced lengthy federal prison sentences for Pratt and several former associates.

The civil ruling centers on allegations that women—many of them young adults at the time—were recruited through advertisements presenting the work as modeling, then pressured into filming explicit videos. Victims have said they were given assurances about anonymity and limited distribution, only to see videos posted online and circulated widely. The civil award is designed to compensate for harms alleged to include coercion, reputational damage, and long-term personal and economic impacts.

How the case moved through civil and criminal courts

The GirlsDoPorn litigation has proceeded on parallel tracks: civil claims brought by victims seeking monetary damages and control over their images, and federal criminal cases alleging sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. Earlier civil proceedings in San Diego County resulted in a separate judgment of nearly $13 million awarded to a group of women who sued over misrepresentation and related claims. In federal court, restitution and other financial penalties have also been imposed in connection with trafficking convictions.

Pratt’s criminal case became a focal point after he left the United States in 2019, was later arrested in Spain in December 2022, extradited to San Diego in March 2024, and ultimately pleaded guilty in 2025 to sex-trafficking offenses. On September 8, 2025, he was sentenced in federal court to 27 years in prison. Other participants in the conspiracy have also been sentenced, including Pratt’s former business partner, performers, and employees involved in recruitment, filming, and operations.

What the $76 million order may mean in practice

While the $76 million figure represents a substantial civil award, collection in cases involving defendants who have been incarcerated or who previously moved assets can be complex. Civil judgments typically require additional proceedings to identify assets, pursue enforcement, and allocate recovered funds. Victims may also pursue compensation through other routes, including restitution orders, settlements with third parties, and court rulings assigning victims rights to the content created from their exploitation.

• The order increases the civil financial exposure tied to the GirlsDoPorn operation beyond earlier judgments and restitution actions.
• Enforcement may depend on tracing assets, resolving claims among victims, and court oversight of distribution.
• The ruling reinforces a broader pattern of courts treating coercive recruitment and deceptive distribution promises as central elements in trafficking-related civil claims.

The GirlsDoPorn prosecutions and civil lawsuits have become a defining local example of how trafficking allegations can extend beyond criminal punishment into large-scale financial accountability.

The case remains a closely watched reference point for how courts address exploitation tied to online distribution, including disputes over ownership, removal, and the monetization of non-consensual or coerced content.