FBI Seizes Chat Room Servers

CYBERSPACE – The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) stormed CIT Hosting, a private hosting company, with allegations that the company was aiding "cyber crime" and "terrorist" activities; a general term provided under the shield of the U.S. Patriot Act.

The company was forced to shut down temporarily during and after the FBI raid, and CIT's private chat rooms are still disabled, according to the Associated Press (AP).

[BANNER1]The AP reports that the feds confiscated the company's servers and reportedly spent hours reviewing computer data pertaining to CIT's business and chat rooms. According to a federal spokesperson, the FBI search and seizure also involved a house in the Columbus suburbs.

CIT Hosting issued a statement to its customers stating: "According to the warrant, it appears that the bureau is investigating whether someone hosted on our network hacked and attacked someone else."

The AP reports that the U.S. Attorney's office has not released any information about the search and seizure or the purpose behind the FBI raid. There is also no word when CIT chat rooms will be back in operation.

The U.S. Attorney was not available for comment at the time of this printing.

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

Brazil: New AV Requirements Set to Take Effect March 17

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva this week gave final approval to new regulations requiring adult websites to age-verify users located in Brazil starting March 17.

FSC Recommends Platforms Integrate StopNCII.org Tool

In a blog post, Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has recommended that platforms integrate the StopNCII.org tool to prevent the sharing of non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII).

Utah 'Porn Tax' Bill With VPN Provisions Passes State Senate

The Utah state Senate has passed a bill that would impose a 2% tax on the revenues of adult websites doing business in that state, and make sites liable if Utah minors use VPNs to circumvent geolocation.

Fast-Tracked Arizona Bill Includes Consent 'Catch-22' for Adult Sites

A bill advancing rapidly through the Arizona state legislature would impose new requirements for adult content uploaded online, including seemingly contradictory provisions that could effectively make it impossible for adult sites to operate in the state.

VirtualRealPorn Launches WebXR-Enabled Site

VirtualRealPorn has officially launched its new site, built on Web Extended Reality (WebXR) technology.

'MyAsianGFs' Launches Through Paysite.com

MyAsianGFs.com has officially launched through Paysite.com.

Corey Silverstein to Host Webinar on North Carolina Age Verification Thursday

Adult industry attorney Corey D. Silverstein has announced his latest "Legal Impact" webinar, titled "North Carolina AV Law — Content Creation Issues," to livestream Thursday at 4 p.m. (EST).

Ofcom Fines 8579 LLC $1.8 Million for AV Noncompliance

U.K. media regulator Ofcom on Monday imposed a fine of 1.35 million pounds (more than $1.8 million) against adult site operator 8579 LLC for failing to implement age checks as required for compliance with the Online Safety Act.

Pearl Industry Network Launches 'TrustLink' Creator Verification Platform

Trade group Pearl Industry Network (PiN) has launched TrustLink, its free creator verification platform.

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rejects Tariffs, Trump Responds

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled against the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs, which have significantly impacted the pleasure industry, prompting the president to announce a new tariff strategy as a workaround.

Show More