Sex.com Lawsuit Erupts, Kremen ‘Not Involved’

PHILADELPHIA — According to a report in the Philadelphia Inquirer this morning, a group calling itself Sex.com Incorporated that recently tried to buy the domain Sex.com is suing a Boston-based domain registrar for allegedly bilking them out of $500,000 in a deal to buy the famed web address.

The case does not involve Gary Kremen, the well-known entrepreneur who still technically owns the site.

Kremen told XBiz he recently had several individuals, including officials at Boston-based Domain Name Acquisition Group (DNAG) and Deal Jam, put in an option to buy Sex.com, which is estimated to be worth around $11 million. Kremen said they in turn sold the address to an undisclosed buyer, taking a $500,000 deposit on the purchase.

“I had some guys buy an option, kind of like you put a deposit on a house,” Kremen said. “I thought they were going to develop it, but they didn’t. They just tried to resell it.”

Details on the deal are sketchy, and nobody but Kremen was willing to talk about the case, but the attorney for the plaintiff told reporters earlier today that DNAG had failed to disclose valuable information to his client prior to the deposit.

“[DNAG engaged in] repeated untruths regarding the domain name Sex.com, about other competing offers for the domain name Sex.com and various other material and relevant exaggerations and untruths,” he said.

Kremen, who is not named in the lawsuit, said the whole issue has nothing to do with him. The lawsuit names DMAG, Andrew Miller, Peter Hubsham, and Deal Jam as defendants in the case.

“This is entirely a third-party thing,” he said.

Kremen said the individuals at DMAG and Deal Jam who originally optioned to buy Sex.com still have the right to do so, though that option is expiring soon.

“This only shows maybe I didn’t pick a good partner to sell it too,” he said. “If they decide to not exercise their option, then it’s still for sale.”

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Opinion: Why Device-Based Age Verification is the Key to Protecting Minors Online

Across the United States, state legislators on both sides of the aisle have attempted to tackle the crucial goal of preventing minors from accessing adult content.

TMZ: VMG's Mike Moz in Talks About 'Potential Collab' With Yeezy

Vixen Media Group’s Mike Moz told TMZ that the company has been discussing a potential collaboration with Kanye West’s brand Yeezy.

Age Verification: FSC's Mike Stabile Reports from the Frontlines

Two years into the religiously-inspired crusade to ban free access to adult material in the U.S. through carefully drafted "age verification" legislation, the constant onslaught of state-by-state proposals and laws — many of them copied from each other — can be hard to follow.

Written Erotica Platform 'Hevvn' Launches

Hevvn, a new platform aimed at erotica writers seeking to publish, promote and profit from their work, debuted Thursday.

Sssh.com's Angie Rowntree Speaks at Brown University

Sssh.com founder Angie Rowntree spoke at a Brown University class last week, discussing several topics related to adult filmmaking.

Online Industry Veteran Joe E. Passes Away

Online industry veteran Joe E has passed away, according to friends and industry associates.

Judge Acquits Backpage Defendants of Most Charges Before 2nd Retrial

A federal judge acquitted former co-owner of Backpage.com Michael Lacey and two co-defendants on most of the counts remaining from the protracted trial launched against the website operators by the Justice Department in 2018.

Adult Time Partners With Animation Studio 3DGspot

Adult Time has signed a deal to stream content from animation studio 3DGspot.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp Signs Age Verification Bill Into Law

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp this week signed into law a bill that includes provisions requiring age verification for viewing adult content in Georgia, mirroring legislation being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches by Country for February, March

AEBN has released the popular searches from its straight and gay theaters in more than three dozen countries during February and March.

Show More