The US Department of Justice has announced the launch of a compensation program for victims of sex trafficking that took place through the Backpage website. The initiative has become the largest compensation procedure for victims of human trafficking in US history.
According to the Department of Justice, women and children were exploited for years through the Backpage.com platform, which operated from 2004 to 2018 and was the main online platform for commercial sex. After confiscating more than $ 200 million in illegally obtained profits, the US authorities are launching a remission procedure — a special program that allows victims to receive compensation for the harm caused.
All victims whose ads for “providing services” were placed on Backpage can submit an online petition for compensation on the official website backpageremission.com until February 2, 2026. The petition may be filed by the victim, their representative, or the legal heirs of the deceased.
Epiq Global Inc. serves as the program administrator and provides all information on filing petitions free of charge. No government agency will charge a fee to participate in the program.
In April 2018, Backpage.com was officially shut down and seized by the U.S. government, and its owners and executives were convicted of money laundering, prostitution, and human trafficking. In addition to the Department of Justice, the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS-CI), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) joined the investigation and forfeiture process. Over two decades, the Asset Forfeiture Program, a division of MLARS, has returned more than $12 billion to crime victims. Reparations specialists Jane K. Lee and Brittany R. Van Camp are leading the process.
The launch of the remission program is a historic step in combating the consequences of online traffic.
