The U.S. Department of Justice says victims of sex trafficking schemes facilitated by classified ads on Backpage may be eligible for compensation.
Backpage operated from 2004 until 2018, when the website was seized by the U.S. government on claims that it knowingly facilitated prostitution. Among those prosecuted for related crimes were site founders Michael Lacey and James Larkin, who also founded the Phoenix New Times.
Larkin died by suicide before facing a new trial, while Lacey was sentenced to prison last year.
The funds collected from forfeited assets linked to Backpage’s profits tops out at more than $200 million. The DOJ says it's the largest compensation effort to date for human trafficking victims.
Victims eligible for the remission program must file a petition online before Feb. 2, 2026.
