Kremen Files Antitrust Suit Against ARIN

SAN FRANCISCO — The latest chapter in the Sex.com saga has a new character — the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN). Gary Kremen, the former owner of the domain, has filed suit in federal court against ARIN alleging, among other complaints, violations of U.S. antitrust laws.

What began as an effort to enforce Judge James Ware’s 2001 order returning the hijacked block of IP addresses to Kremen, quickly met resistance from ARIN, a regional Internet registry that allocates blocks of IP addresses in North America.

When Karl Kronenberger, attorney for Kremen, contacted ARIN in November 2001, he encountered what he called “opposition and secrecy.” According to court papers, “resistance to comply [with the order] continued back-and-forth… between ARIN, its counsel and plaintiff Kremen into 2005.”

According to court papers, Kremen’s demands that the property be transferred were refused by ARIN because Kremen would not “enter into a mandatory side agreement with ARIN, wherein Kremen would effectively relinquish all of his property rights in the netblocks.”

The court filings refer to the IP address blocks as netblocks.

“We didn’t understand what kind of organization didn’t follow a federal court order,” Kronenberger told XBIZ. “They [ARIN] just would not budge, and they would not explain their choice [not to comply]. That left us with no other choice.”

On April 12, Kronenberger filed suit against ARIN, alleging in the complaint that the company acts as a “biased gatekeeper for the allocation of the primary resource required to compete.”

That primary resource being an IP address.

While the suit seeks compensatory damages of $15 million and punitive damages of $45 million, the maximum allowed under the antitrust statute, Kremen and Kronenberger are more concerned with changing the way ARIN operates.

“ARIN hands out IP addresses in a kind of contract of adhesion,” Kronenberger said. “That means that in addition to the applicant having to give extensive details about how they intend to use the block of addresses, ARIN can take the block away without any justification. The idea that ARIN can simply take back those blocks is not a popular one in the Internet community, and it is contrary to the best interests of commerce, particularly to small businesses.”

Boston-based Escom LLC recently purchased the highly coveted Sex.com domain for $14 million.

Copyright © 2025 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

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Sex Work CEO Debuts Upgraded 'GPTease' AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Canvas in-chat editing feature to its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Show More