Pornhub owner MindGeek sold to Ottawa private equity firm
MindGeek, the Montreal-based parent company of the controversial website Pornhub, has been acquired by a private equity firm.
Ethical Capital Partners (ECP), a newly-formed firm based in Ottawa, announced Thursday it is taking over the company that has faced criticism in recent years for allegedly hosting illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, on the world's largest porn site.
Members that make up the firm include investors, Ottawa-based criminal lawyers Solomon Friedman and Fady Mansour, and a retired chief superintendent with the RCMP, Derek Ogden. Its leadership team was in Montreal Thursday to announce the acquisition and to meet with MindGeek staff.
The terms of the deal are not being made public.
MindGeek, which was founded in Montreal in 2004, has a vast portfolio that also includes other pornographic properties, such as YouPorn, Redtube, Brazzers, Men.com, and Sean Cody.
ECP's website describes itself as a firm that seeks "investment and advisory opportunities in industries that require principled ethical leadership."
In a news release, it said it is committed to adult entertainment "made by and for consenting adults."
"With the support of ECP, MindGeek will further its research and adoption of the latest and best available online safety protocols to ensure that it remains a world-class leader in trust and safety and its platforms are inclusive, sex positive spaces for adults," the firm said in the release.
A spokesperson for the firm said its members were not available Thursday to comment on the acquisition.
The spotlight on the controversial porn site MindGeek's operations was brightened when a Dec. 4, 2020 New York Times exposé told the story of a minor whose nude videos were uploaded to Pornhub without her consent and allegedly remained there for some time despite repeated requests for the company to take them down.
Days after the story was published, MindGeek announced it was halting video uploads from unverified users.
Since then, several women have launched lawsuits alleging all kinds of illegal content being posted to the Pornhub.
Last November, a mother from Alabama launched a lawsuit against MindGeek after discovering the taped molestation of her 12-year-old son was posted to Pornhub. She alleged the site's owner ignored repeated requests from local police to remove it.
The man who molested her son, Rocky Shay Franklin, a 36-year-old resident of Greenville, AL, was sentenced to 40 years in prison last year after pleading guilty to two counts of the sexual exploitation and child pornography charges.
MindGeek has previously said in statements to CTV News that it has "zero tolerance for non-consensual content, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and any other content that lack the consent of all parties depicted."
It also said it has a "comprehensive" team of human moderators that reviews each video upload.
The Mindgeek acquisition comes one day after Netflix released a documentary about Pornhub, in which a former content moderator alleged his team was not given enough time to properly review the hundreds of videos required per shift.
The takeover comes seven months after Visa and Mastercard cut ties with the advertising arm of Pornhub's owner over concerns about the content on its site.
Last June, MindGeek CEO Feras Antoon and COO David Tassillo announced they were stepping down, but said they'd remain as shareholders in the company.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.