Former Pageant Queen Files Lawsuit Against Pornhub and Parent Company
In a recent lawsuit against Pornhub and its parent company, MindGeek (now Aylo), former Miss Teen Colorado runner-up Kristy Althaus alleges that she was subjected to rape and coerced into filming explicit content. The lawsuit centers around the distribution of videos from GirlsDoPorn.com, a defunct website founded by Michael James Pratt, a former FBI Most Wanted fugitive.
According to the federal lawsuit filed on September 8, Althaus claims she was threatened, coerced, and sexually assaulted, ultimately being forced to comply with the demands of the GirlsDoPorn sex trafficking venture, which was facilitated by MindGeek’s vast online network.
The lawsuit further alleges that in 2013, shortly after winning the Miss Teen Colorado runner-up title at the age of 18, Althaus responded to a modeling advertisement on Craigslist. GirlsDoPorn flew her to San Diego under the guise of a simple photoshoot, but things took a dark turn.
Instead of a regular photoshoot, Michael James Pratt, along with his associates, pressured Althaus to participate in explicit videos. When she resisted, they resorted to alcohol and pills to manipulate her. Pratt confiscated her cellphone during the filming, returning it only afterward.
Michael Isaac Wolfe, a co-conspirator, admitted to coercing around 100 young women between 18 and 23 to make explicit videos for the San Diego-based GirlsDoPorn website, falsely promising that these videos would not be shared in the United States. Eventually, the government shut down GirlsDoPorn in October 2019.
Wolfe also confessed to posting these videos on the U.S. website and training a cameraman, Theodore Gyi, on how to deceive the women into believing their videos wouldn’t be published online.
Moreover, Wolfe revealed that Pratt operated Pornwikileaks.com, a site dedicated to exposing the identities of the women featured in the videos, leading to their harassment.
Althaus found herself in a San Diego hotel room with Pratt, Wolfe, and two others during the recording of explicit content, fearing for her life.
Unfortunately, the first video featuring Althaus was posted on MindGeek’s network, generating substantial revenue. MindGeek and GirlsDoPorn even promoted the video by referencing Althaus as “Miss Teen Colorado.”
Aylo, formerly known as MindGeek, emphasized its commitment to safety, maintaining that its policies exceed industry standards. They refrained from commenting on ongoing litigation.
After the initial video, Althaus was coerced into producing more explicit content while starting college. The lawsuit accuses MindGeek of knowingly supporting the GirlsDoPorn criminal enterprise, despite being aware of their use of force, fraud, and coercion.
Pratt stands accused of conspiring to recruit young women and girls through force, fraud, and coercion, luring them with promises of substantial payment for one-day video shoots. In some cases, he and his associates allegedly held women captive until explicit videos were filmed, pressuring them into performing acts they initially declined.
The lawsuit reveals that GirlsDoPorn even hired actresses to pose as references, falsely reassuring new recruits of their privacy and safety.
Althaus’s life took a dark turn following these events. She has been unable to maintain employment or healthy relationships and has faced repeated harassment, even suffering physical assaults from individuals claiming to be Pornhub subscribers. She lives in constant fear for her safety.
Kristy Althaus is just one of many victims who have leveled similar accusations against GirlsDoPorn and platforms like Pornhub that promoted the website’s content, resulting in significant revenue.
Michael James Pratt, who spent years evading law enforcement, was arrested in Spain last year.
MindGeek rebranded as Aylo on August 17, aiming to embody innovation, inclusivity, and trust and safety in the adult content industry. The new name signifies a fresh start for the company.