Reply With QuoteI thought 17 was legal... :jawdrop:
http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_255191519.html
The company that produces the "Girls Gone Wild" tapes of young women baring their breasts and acting in other sexual situations pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges and agreed to pay fines totaling $2.1 million.
Mantra Films Inc., based in Santa Monica, Calif., made the plea in U.S. District Court in Florida on charges of failing to maintain proof of age and identification for its young performers in sexually explicit films. It also failed to label its DVDs and videotapes properly as required by federal law.
A second company owned by Mantra's founder, MRA Holdings LLC, entered into a deferred agreement on charges of improper labeling.
Under that agreement with prosecutors, the charges would be dismissed after three years if MRA Holdings cooperates with future government prosecutions, admits wrongdoing and pays fines.
The two companies and their founder, Joseph Francis, will pay $2.1 million in fines and restitution, the Justice Department said.
"My companies and I acknowledge that what we did was wrong and violated federal laws," Francis said in a statement filed in court. "We also acknowledge that as a result of these violations, footage of minors engaged in actual sexually explicit conduct appeared in at least two DVDs that were commercially released for sale to the public."
Separate state charges in Florida alleging that two girls, 17, were videotaped by a "Girls Gone Wild" cameraman in sexual situations remain pending against Mantra and Francis.
"Today's agreements ensure that 'Girls Gone Wild' will comply with an important law designed to prevent the sexual exploitation of minors and puts other producers on notice that they must be in compliance as well," Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher said.
An attorney for Mantra, Aaron Dyer, said the company would clean up its record keeping.
The charges involved "serious record-keeping issues that occurred several years ago," he said. "Mantra takes these issues very seriously and has done everything it can to make sure this never occurs again."
According to court papers, Mantra Films admitted to violating record keeping and labeling laws while distributing the videos during all of 2002 and part of 2003.
Founded in 1997, Mantra released 83 different titles and sold 4.5 million videos and DVDs in 2002, according to Hoover's Inc., a business data firm in Austin, Texas.
I thought 17 was legal... :jawdrop:
$2.1 for a fine? They had to laugh hard on that one,do the numbers.they probably had that in loose change.
He owes money to a lot of people.
That is a lot of money to him right now.
In a related case, Mantra Films Inc. also pleaded guilty to enjoying watching video tapes featuring nearly naked, young, beautiful girls.
$2.1 for a fine? They had to laugh hard on that one,do the numbers.they probably had that in loose change.
I was thinking the same thing.
Waddaya think they grossed?
Maybe 10 or 20 times that??
I wouldn't be surprise if even much more.
I was thinking the same thing.
Wadaya think they grossed?
Maybe 10 or 20 times that??
I wouldn't be surprise if even more than that.
What do you think they profited off of the 4.5 million copies,not like theres alot of over head in shooting naked chicks acting stupid.
I have never even seen one of those video's
Great, the price just went from 9.99 to 11.99......If I read that right, that was the gross sales for 2002 !!!!
He was on Howard Stern a little while ago.
He is not as rich as you guys think.
He was..........................
GOOD LAWYERS COST GOOD MONEY!!!!!
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