Alleged Spammer Sues Accuser

FARGO, N.D. – A man accused of flooding Usenet groups with thousands of sexually explicit spam messages is suing his accuser for defamation, invasion of privacy and intentional interference with a business.

Ed Falk, a California computer programmer who operates a website devoted to exposing spam abuses, alleges that Jerry Reynolds once ran the largest porn spam operation on the Internet on behalf of the now-defunct website Sexzilla.com.

“As far as I know, he was, at his peak, the worst spammer on the Internet, and I think it was almost all porn,” Falk told a Fargo newspaper.

Reynolds denies any connections to the spam operation, and his attorney this week filed a lawsuit on behalf of John Doe in Cass County District Court seeking damages from Falk for publishing “misleading information” that was harmful to the unnamed plaintiff’s business and reputation.

Falk said there is little doubt in his mind who John Doe is. Reynolds had twice demanded, through his attorney, that Falk retract the accusatory language from his site and threatened legal action if Falk did not comply.

Falk said the ordeal began in 1994, when newsgroups he frequented started receiving thousands of unsolicited messages that crowded out users and made genuine discussion nearly impossible. With the help of another anti-spam activist, David Ritz, Falk claimed he traced many of the messages back to an adult site called Sexzilla.com. The site, they said, was responsible for up to 25 percent of all spam coming into Usenet.

Further investigation showed that Reynolds was listed as the administrative and technical contact for Sexzilla.com. But Reynolds has always denied any connection to the website, and John Doe’s complaint asserts the plaintiff never had any ownership interest in the site.

Still, Falk stands by his claims.

“In my mind, there was no question that Jerry Reynolds was Sexzilla.com,” Falk said.

In January, a New Hampshire-based company filed a similar lawsuit against a man whose spam allegations cost the company its accounts with several ISPs. The case has not yet gone to trial.

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

Roxie Rae Relaunches Site Through XSiteAbility

Roxie Rae has relaunched her site through XSiteAbility.

Federal Appeals Court Vacates FTC 'Click to Cancel' Rule Pending Review

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit on Tuesday vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule aimed at making it easier for consumers to cancel online subscriptions, pending further review.

NYC Adult Stores Lose Challenge to Zoning Law, May Face Relocation

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit on Tuesday upheld a lower court’s decision to allow enforcement of a 2001 zoning law aimed at forcing adult retail stores out of most parts of New York City.

FSC Drops Florida AV Lawsuit in Wake of SCOTUS Decision

A U.S. district court judge granted on Tuesday a motion by Free Speech Coalition to dismiss the trade association’s lawsuit over Florida’s age verification law, a case that had been on hold pending the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the constitutionality of state AV laws.

Ukrainian President Responds to Porn Legalization Petition

President Volodymyr Zelensky responded Tuesday to an OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine, stating that he would wait for the legislative process to play out “in accordance with established procedure.”

Only Tax Deductions Joins Pineapple Support as Sponsor

Adult industry accounting firm Only Tax Deductions has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Adult Empire Launches 'Conversations' Podcast Series

Adult Empire has launched a new official podcast series hosted by Nicole Chappelle and Charlie.

Sex Work CEO Launches 'Teams Plan' for AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Teams Plan for its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult Industry, Override Possible

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

Show More