Backpage Sex Trafficking Settlement: $215M

Individuals who were victims of sex trafficking and were advertised on Backpage.com between Jan. 1, 2004, and April 6, 2018, or on CityXGuide.com between April 8, 2018, and June 19, 2020.

Claimants must complete a petition form and include documentation to support their losses. Acceptable evidence includes screenshots, ads, emails, texts, medical/psychological records, pharmacy receipts, or police reports.

Backpage, once one of the largest online classified ad platforms in the U.S., has agreed to a $215 million settlement to compensate survivors of sex trafficking whose images or advertisements appeared on its platform or its successor site, CityXGuide.

The lawsuit alleged that Backpage knowingly facilitated sex trafficking by allowing and profiting from explicit ads involving trafficking victims, including minors. Plaintiffs argued that the company failed to moderate or remove these ads, prioritizing revenue over safety.

Even after the federal government seized Backpage in 2018, its replacement site, CityXGuide, allegedly continued the same conduct until it was shut down in 2020.

Following a DOJ investigation, federal authorities seized $215 million from Backpage and CityXGuide—funds now allocated to what’s known as the Backpage Remission Program. This program aims to provide financial restitution to those who were exploited through these platforms.

What Class Members Can Receive

Eligible survivors may receive cash payments to compensate for losses tied to their trafficking. These may include:

• Medical and mental health treatment expenses
• Lost wages or economic hardship
• Out-of-pocket expenses related to recovery
• Other documented damages

The exact payout will depend on the number of approved claims and the losses documented by each claimant. According to the settlement administrator, the $215 million fund may be distributed in varying amounts based on severity, type of harm, and available supporting evidence.