Founder of Backpage.com Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison, Fined $3 Million for Money Laundering

Published on August 29, 2024

Michael Lacey, a founder of the classified advertising website Backpage.com, was sentenced on Aug. 28 to five years in prison for money laundering in a case involving allegations of a scheme to promote and profit from prostitution through the now-shuttered website. The 76-year-old, who’s also a former Phoenix New Times executive editor, was also fined $3 million. Lacey was convicted by a jury in November last year on one count of international concealment money laundering. The same jury deadlocked on the other 84 prostitution facilitation and money laundering charges. Judge Diane Humetewa of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona later acquitted Lacey of dozens of charges due to insufficient evidence, but the businessman still faces around 30 prostitution facilitation and money laundering charges....

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