Cohen Denied Bail, San Jose Bound

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — According to court reports from the San Diego Union-Tribune today, Stephen Cohen pleaded poverty in a court hearing meant to address whether he should face the $65 million judgment against him for the theft of the famed Sex.com URL from entrepreneur Gary Kremen.

“I don't have a lot of financial wherewithal,” Cohen told Federal Judge Leo S. Papas, shortly before requesting bail.

But the judge was not convinced, noting that Cohen made off with roughly $100 million during his temporary holding of Sex.com.

“I think you'll find some disagreement on that from some quarters,” the judge reportedly said, refusing Cohen’s bail request.

Papas has ordered Cohen be sent to San Jose, site of the original Sex.com trial in 1998. Once there, Cohen will face Judge James Ware, the original judge from the case.

Cohen was apprehended last week in Mexico, where he allegedly fled shortly after Kremen won his $65 million judgment against him. With statutory interest, Cohen now owes closer to $83 million.

Cohen was initially discovered in Mexico shortly after his daughter, Jhuliana Cohen, was arrested attempting to smuggle marijuana over the U.S./Mexico border. Her arrest prompted immigration officials to notify Mexican police of Stephen Cohen’s outstanding warrant in the Sex.com case.

Mexican police later discovered Cohen living outside the border town of Tijuana when he applied for a residency permit.

Copyright © 2026 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

On-Chain JAV Distribution Platform 'HandSome' Goes Live With Open Beta

Fukuoka tech firm Fidem has officially rolled out an open beta version of HandSome, a new Japanese Adult Video (JAV) content distribution platform built on blockchain technology.

Arcom Investigates Mym Over SREN Compliance

French media regulator Arcom is investigating creator platform Mym to determine whether the site may have violated age assurance rules and/or other requirements of France’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law.

England, Wales to Enforce 'Extreme' Content Laws Starting Nov. 6

England and Wales will begin enforcing new laws criminalizing depictions of “non-fatal strangulation,” as well as sexual content in which adults portray underage characters, starting Nov. 6, the U.K. Ministry of Justice announced Friday.

Report: UK Film Classification Board to Monitor 'Extreme' Content Online

The U.K. government has tapped the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) for a pilot program to monitor online pornography for illegal and “extreme” content, as it prepares to enforce new content restrictions, British media outlet Sky News is reporting.

New Federal Report Slams Debanking but Ignores Adult Industry

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) on Wednesday released a report on debanking activities at nine large national banks, but omitted any mention of the adult industry, despite previously identifying it as a sector facing banking discrimination.

EU Court Rejects Stripchat Challenge of Past VLOP Designation

The EU’s General Court on Wednesday ruled against Stripchat in a lawsuit seeking to annul a 2023 European Commission decision designating the site as a “very large online platform” (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA).

Aylo Case Against Utah VPN Rule on Hold Pending Legislative Changes

A federal court has paused Aylo’s suit over a Utah law making adult websites liable if minors bypass age verification by circumventing geolocation efforts, until the state legislature can meets to potentially amend the statute.

German High Court Puts Pornhub, YouPorn 'Network Ban' on Hold

A German high court on Friday temporarily barred a state media regulator from ordering internet providers to cut off access to Aylo-owned adult sites Pornhub and YouPorn in Germany, pending further action by Cypriot and European Union authorities.

Luxembourg Media Regulator Fines LiveJasmin for AV Noncompliance

The Luxembourg Independent Audiovisual Authority (ALIA) has levied a fine of 25,000 euros (approximately $28,000) against webcam platform LiveJasmin for failing to comply with provisions of the country’s Electronic Media Law.

AdultHTML Introduces Subscription Option for Website Owners

AdultHTML has added a subscription option for its web development service, allowing site owners to pay a monthly fee for access to developers and tools.

Show More