AdultShop.com Settles U.S. Payment Dispute

SYDNEY — Bringing an end to the on-going credit card processing problems that have besieged Australian adult Internet retail company AdultShop.com, the company announced today that it had settled an outstanding legal claim against it that could have potentially cost more than $2.8 million in damages and brought the company before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The underlying lawsuit, brought by a California credit card payment processor in 2002, alleged that AdultShop.com owed the processor approximately $1.86 million in outstanding charges and $1 million in general damages.

The case was also scheduled to be heard before the U.S. Supreme Court in January 2005.

“The legal fees that would have been incurred by the company were expected to have been significant,” said KJ Heitman, chairman of AdultShop, in a statement release Tuesday. “On the advice of the company’s United States-based legal advisors, the directors agreed to what is considered to be a fair and reasonable settlement.”

The terms of the agreement call for AdultShop to pay the processor $1.5 million to settle all claims against it.

AdultShop also made legal headlines recently when it initiated a multimillion dollar lawsuit against two Australian businessmen who had sold the company their online erotica division.

AdultShop paid roughly $12 million to Dean Shannon and Steve Jones in exchange for the division, but the credit card processor’s looming litigation caused AdultShop stock to drastically drop in price. The company sued Shannon and Jones in October 2004 to recoup some of its loss.

AdultShop alleged that the two businessmen breached the Australian Trades Practices Act and had misrepresented the benefits of merchant accounts.

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

Pornhub Awards Fiesta: A Night of Music, Dancing and Camaraderie

The eighth annual Pornhub Awards transformed Los Candiles Night Club in Glassell Park into a celebration of glamour, glitter, fashion and fame Wednesday night, as performers, creators and industry insiders toasted the year’s winners and danced late into the night while Diplo and Midnight Mary kept the party pulsing from behind the decks.

Ukrainian Parliament Rejects Porn Decriminalization Bill

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, on Thursday voted against passage of a bill that would have decriminalized the creation and distribution of pornography in that country — an activity that currently carries a prison sentence of three to five years.

FSC Launches Pride Fundraising Drive

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has launched its Pride Fundraising Drive to support its efforts on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community.

Cultpix Debuts AI-Generated Vintage Adult Films at Cannes

At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, B-movie streaming service Cultpix debuted a collection of AI-generated short films drawn from erotic magazine photo spreads published 50 years ago.

Ofcom Fines Youngtek Solutions $800K for AV Noncompliance

U.K. media regulator Ofcom on Wednesday imposed fines totaling 600,000 pounds (more than $800,000) against adult site operator Youngtek Solutions for failing to implement age checks and respond to information requests as required for compliance with the Online Safety Act.

Pornhub Launches Lesbian Site 'Pornhub Sapphic'

Pornhub has launched Pornhub Sapphic, a site dedicated to female and non-binary content and creators.

Brazil Invites Public Input on AV Guidelines

Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) on Friday launched a public consultation on developing guidelines for age verification mechanisms under the country’s Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents (Digital ECA), which requires adult websites to age-verify users located in Brazil.

Paysite Confidential: Inside the Creator Economy's Shift Toward Ownership

For years, the adult industry’s creator economy has been defined by platforms — powerful engines of discovery, monetization and scale that reshaped how performers connect with their audiences.

Senator Urges DOJ to Crack Down on 'Obscenity,' Attacks OnlyFans

U.S. Senator Jim Banks of Indiana this week urged Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to reestablish the Department of Justice’s defunct Obscenity Prosecution Task Force in a letter that targets OnlyFans while repeatedly conflating “obscenity” with legal adult content.

UN Experts Urge US, Canada to Prosecute Aylo, Others for 'Exploitation'

GENEVA – The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has issued a press release in which two U.N. special rapporteurs, cited as experts, accuse Aylo and other companies of complicity in sexual exploitation.

Show More