Backpage.com: Sex trafficking domain finally drops as FBI budgets change

Posted by DomainGang on February 23, 2025, at 11:59 am 

In 2018, the domain Backpage.com was among several seized after sex trafficking charges were made.

The FBI took control of its DNS, pointing Backpage.com to a lander with a prominent message. For a domain registered in 1999, this was the end of the road.

These domains were renewed after year since then but not this January. Potential changes in how the FBI’s own funds handled seized domains (and there are plenty) eventually led to the non-payment of renewal fees.

Backpage.com dropped and got caught by DropCatch, a common outcome these days due to the sheer number of resources the company possesses: hundreds of ICANN-accredited registrars. The domain linked to illegal activities is now in a three day auction and someone will pay good money for it.

But after 7 years offline, there is no SEO juice left. What’s left, is the domain’s association with activities that broke several federal laws in the US and in other countries. Authorities say Backpage and its associate web sites generated $500 million in prostitution-related revenue from its inception in 2004 until it was shut down by the government in 2018.

Last year, Backpage founder Michael Lacey was sentenced to 5 years in prison for money laundering. Other charges are still pending.

The Backpage.com auction has reached $36,000 dollars currently.

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