FBI Confiscates Bitcoin from Michael Pratt
In a significant move, the FBI has successfully confiscated $51,533 worth of Bitcoin from Michael Pratt, a pornographic filmmaker from New Zealand. Pratt, who became notorious after his arrest in late 2022 on serious charges, including sex trafficking, has had the United States government actively pursuing financial penalties against him and his associates since mid-2024.
Forfeiture and Digital Assets
A forfeiture application filed by U.S. authorities looking to seize his digital assets highlighted three Bitcoin wallets containing a combined total of 8.13 BTC, which currently holds an approximate value of $840,000.
Background of Legal Troubles
Pratt’s journey to notoriety began when he emigrated from New Zealand to the United States in 2009. He was linked to the controversial GirlsDoPorn website, alleged to have operated between 2007 and 2019. His legal troubles escalated in October 2019 when he faced sex trafficking charges in absentia from the Southern District of California.
By early 2022, the FBI had added Pratt to its Ten Most Wanted list, backing its search with a $50,000 reward for leads on his whereabouts.
Arrest and Charges
His eventual apprehension came in Spain in December 2022, where he was taken into custody and charged with a total of 19 offenses. These included severe allegations such as sex trafficking, the production of child pornography, and money laundering conspiracy.
He was extradited to the United States in March 2024, bringing to light the full severity of the accusations against him—ranging from manipulation and coercion to recruit young women for adult film production. Many victims were misled into believing they were applying for modeling jobs, only to find themselves involved in explicit content shooting.
Betrayal of Trust
Pratt and his defendants falsely assured their victims that their videos would only be viewed by private buyers in Australia and not uploaded online.
Nonetheless, footage ended up on well-known pornographic platforms, turning the accused’s promises into stark betrayal. Reports suggest that the GirlsDoPorn website generated extensive earnings of over $17 million before it was effectively shut down in January 2020, following a court ruling mandating Pratt to compensate 22 victims a total of $12.8 million.
Trial and Future Outlook
While several of Pratt’s co-defendants, including webmaster Matthew Isaac Wolfe and adult performer Ruben Andre Garcia, have accepted plea deals and been sentenced, Pratt maintains his innocence and is scheduled for trial in September.
Intriguingly, a 2020 cyber incident involving the Ledger hardware wallet company reportedly played a key role in tracking his activities, as his personal details were exposed in a breach which ultimately led to his identification and arrest.
