Redbook arrest

[paragod]

http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/ca...tution-website

[DallasRain]

research who you want to see ..... be discrete.....and stay safe everyone!!

[SexyKaylen]

I missed it babe. Can you pm me the link please!!

[searchthelimits]

This is an important story that needs to be discussed. Two of the the west coast's best escort sites were seized by the FBI and their two owners were arrested. I am assuming that since their names appeared in the new releases, the mods decided that such links were not to be allowed. If you go to myredbook.com you will see the following notice:

This domain name has been seized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as the result of a joint investigation by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service.

This domain name is subject to both civil and criminal forfeiture. This seizure is based on probable cause to believe that this domain name was involved in money laundering derived from racketeering based on prostitution in violation of state and federal law.
Property, including domain names, involved in violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957, is subject to civil and criminal forfeiture to the United States pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 981(a)(1)(A) and Section 982(a)(1).
To report information about a crime to the FBI, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Background:
Two San Francisco-based escort websites were shut down by the FBI and the IRS on Wednesday and the sites' two alleged proprietors appeared in federal court, accused of facilitating prostitution and money laundering, according to the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office.

The sites, MyRedBook.com and SFRedBook.com, advertised free listings for services ranging from massage parlors, strippers, dominatrixes and escorts throughout the western U.S.

But U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag's office argued in a nine-page indictment released Wednesday that the sites were used primarily for advertising prostitution in violation of state law.

The site's two alleged proprietors are accused of facilitating prostitution using interstate communication and laundering more than $5 million in revenue from the sites since April 1, 2010, according to Haag's office.

The sites would charge fees for premier placement of ads and for "VIP Membership" to access special services on the site, such as private forums and better search features, according to Haag's office.

The Owner is accused of using numerous aliases to move funds from the site into his control. The indictment seeks the forfeiture of more than $5 million in assets including accounts at four different banks, investments, a BMW and a Mini Cooper.

The two Owners made an initial appearance in the federal courtroom of U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins in San Francisco, U.S. Attorney's spokeswoman Lillian ArauzHaase said.

A status conference is scheduled for July 10 before U.S. District Judge William Orrick, the trial judge assigned to the case.

Sex-worker advocates expressed concern that the seizure could affect sex workers' livelihood and safety -- including those doing legal work.

Oakland-based sex worker rights advocate said that MyRedBook helped sex workers to screen and protect themselves from potentially violent clients -- and that its absence could put already vulnerable women in danger.

She said in addition to providing listings, MyRedBook enabled sex workers to talk to clients before meeting them and to talk to other sex workers about potential clients for referrals.

The site contained both a public forum and a private forum just for workers.

"Clients on the site would need references," and a good reference from another worker was an indication that a particular client was safe to see, she said.

"Taking the site offline means that type of networking and resource sharing is pushed further underground," she said.

While other websites offer similar services, there is nothing remaining like MyRedBook, as others charge a fee to create listings and operate on a national scale.

Aa spokeswoman with the Bay Area chapter of the Sex Worker Outreach Project, said the loss of MyRedBook as a free resource for sex workers could put an already marginalized community further at risk.

"They're going to have less safe interactions and be put into situations where they can be put at risk of violence, to those who can't afford switching to another website, this is completely detrimental."

Some members of the Sex Worker Outreach Project are consulting with attorneys out of concern that the FBI's targeting of MyRedBook could lead to charges filed against them.

The FBI might have gained IP addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and other personal details of sex workers.

"It's a very scary thing," she said.

The site has previously been used as a law enforcement resource for investigators targeting pimps and human traffickers. Officers have posed as clients or offering services in order to arrange meetings and make arrests.

Now the reason that this is so critical is that one day if this attack is allowed to stand, we may lose ECCIE and P411 that serves this area so well.

[Whispers]

Originally Posted by searchthelimits

This is an important story that needs to be discussed.

Then discuss it.... It's being discussed all over the board because the guidelines allow it. Mods as wellas ADMin participate in threads without removing content...

Why? Because the board has no Guidelines that prohibit it....


http://eccie.net/showthread.php?t=1096061 in Dallas contains link to http://kfor.com/2014/06/24/prostitut...no-boundaries/ which has photos and names of those arrested. Has stood since 06-25-2014

http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=1099113&highlight= posted in National on 06-29 has several links

http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=1034553&highlight= reprints a story with real world names

Redbook Story discussed in San Antonio Forum with link to http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancis...nt?oid=2830030 which has real world names . Note: This thread has comments in it by Chica Chaser, a board Admin and Mokoa, a local Mod as well as Von Spieler… another MOD… Mokoa reminds everyone to get back to the topic of the thread!

Here is another one http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?...hlight=redbook with a link to real world info http://www.sacbee.com/2014/06/26/651...t-website.html

They are talking about it in this thread http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?...hlight=redbook
With links to http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/...by-5579285.php

Here is a sting in Oklahoma thread http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?...hlight=redbook

With a link to more real names and pictures http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-poli...rticle/4948756
Another story here http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?...light=arrested with pictures and real names

[royamcr]

This news has gotta pucker the buttholes of this sites owners.

[salo]

Do you think it's really the money laundering that got them in trouble more than the sex part of of it?

[Whispers]

Yes. I highly doubt the site would be down if there wasn't that financial aspect of the case. Unless the owner/staff were directly involved in the pimping of girls not old enough I think we will, in time, see all that simply dropped.

If the money charges stick... it never gets seen again probably

[Nia Baby]

Does Red Book have a Kansas City forum?

[MsElena]

Redbook was for the west coast, basically the CA area.

[jframe2]

Hubris will bite you in the ass every time. Stupidity will get you thrown in jail.

If they did not realize that they were going to have to account for large amounts of funds (and I have read the public portions of the indictment}; ie, bank reporting, Income Tax Return, etc.

Obviously, they were not as smart as they thought they were.

First rule, hide the ill-gotten gains.

Just saying.

[Longermonger]

Where did all the MyRedbook providers scatter? What website is their lifeboat? If ECCIE goes down where will you go?

[themaster]

Originally Posted by Longermonger

If ECCIE goes down where will you go?

backpages.. cool fact you can order 'sex' through websites in canada finally e-commerce works lol

Originally Posted by Longermonger

Where did all the MyRedbook providers scatter? What website is their lifeboat?

I think the smart ones are just seeing "clients they know" for now...

When craigslist went down? Where did the providers go?

"backpages"

if backpages goes down where will they go?

angiestlist probably backpages part 2.. the name doesn't matter.. it's way to easy to create a 'craigslist' clone.. now if effectively the LE answered every ad on 'blablasite' than they'd have a small chance to curb it.. but someone would just open a speakeasy or something..

I think it'd be interesting to see a 'facebook' group created.. not sure that LE/fbi/whatever could touch that.. (facebook) but they could probably make FB delete the group

[Dr. Vanity]

Originally Posted by themaster

backpages.. cool fact you can order 'sex' through websites in canada finally e-commerce works lol

When craigslist went down? Where did the providers go?

"backpages"

if backpages goes down where will they go?

angiestlist probably backpages part 2.. the name doesn't matter..

I AM HOLLERING!! he said "Angie list!" 😂😂😂👌👊😱😜