(Associated Press) Handcuffed and dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit, the chief executive of an internet site authorities accuse of being “a hub for the illegal sex trade” waived extradition to California on Friday, and his attorney vowed to fight the “trumped up” sex trafficking and money laundering charges he faces.
Backpage.com Chief Executive Officer Carl Ferrer was arrested Thursday and his Dallas headquarters was raided after officials in California accused him of felony pimping a minor, pimping, and conspiracy to commit pimping. Under California’s law, felony pimping is defined as making money off prostitutes or soliciting customers for prostitution. Texas’ state attorney general’s office added money-laundering to the list of alleged crimes.
Ferrer, 55, was arrested after arriving in Houston on a flight from Amsterdam. Backpage.com is a Dutch-owned limited liability corporation. He was expected to be flown to California later Friday. Ferrer, wearing glasses, said very little during his brief court hearing, acknowledging he was waiving extradition.
