Cohen Stays in Jail, Judge Says

SAN JOSE, Calif. – In the continuing saga between Sex.com owner Gary Kremen and the man who once successfully hijacked his domain name, Stephen Cohen found no relief from a judge this afternoon in U.S. District Court and will likely stay in jail for several more weeks.

In a decision that Kremen called a victory, Judge James Ware found no convincing reason to let Cohen out of jail, despite urgings from his lawyer that Cohen is in poor health after suffering several heart attacks in past years.

The judge even declined an offer from Cohen’s lawyer to let him stay at his home.

Cohen, a fugitive in Mexico since 2001 after a judge ordered that he pay Kremen $65 million for usurping the Sex.com domain, was arrested on Oct. 27 by Mexican Federal Police and was then turned over to agents of the U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Marshals Service.

Kremen told XBiz he was surprised by Ware’s decision, based on the fact that this is by far one of the judge’s oldest cases.

“He easily could have let him out,” Kremen said. “But he chose not to, and that’s a good thing for us.”

Kremen added that despite his misgivings towards Cohen after creating a costly cat-and-mouse game for the past five years, Cohen looked “sharp” in his county jumpsuit.

Whether Cohen still has sufficient assets to pay Kremen remains unknown. In October, Kremen was awarded a permanent injunction against Cohen and was able to seize all of his assets in the United States, including mail, cars, credit cards, property, eight bank accounts, email, a leased building on the U.S./Mexico border and a list of around 70 adult and non-adult domain names that Kremen said he intends to sell.

Another hearing is set for Nov. 21 to determine how the case will proceed.

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

MyMember.site Integrates FSC's 'PrivateAV' Age Verification Solution

MyMember.site has integrated Free Speech Coalition's PrivateAV age verification tool into its website-building platform.

Pearl Industry Network Launches Creator Networking App Beta

Industry trade group Pearl Industry Network (PiN) has launched beta testing for the PiN Member App, a networking and collaboration tool for content creators.

FSC: W.V. Age Verification Law Takes Effect June 12

The Free Speech Coalition has issued a reminder notice that West Virginia's age verification law takes effect on June 12, 2026.

Pineapple Support Taps Brad Mitchell, Jean-Micheal Veen for Senior Leadership Positions

Pineapple Support has named Brad Mitchell as its new board president and Jean-Micheal Veen as technology and development chair.

WOW Tech, XR Brands Reach Settlement in Patent Infringement Dispute

XR Brands and Lovehoney Group subsidiary WOW Tech Group have settled a patent dispute over WOW's Pleasure Air Technology.

Polish Government Proposes AV Mandate for Adult Sites

Poland’s Council of Ministers on Tuesday endorsed a proposed national law that would require sites and platforms to age-verify users to prevent minors from accessing adult content online.

Brazil Launches Complaints Page for AV Violations

Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) on Monday debuted a portal where citizens can report possible violations of the country’s Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents (Digital ECA), which requires adult websites to age-verify users located in Brazil.

FSC Launches 'Speak Out' Media Campaign for Creators

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has announced the launch of FSC Speak Out, a media campaign for content creators to tell their stories.

Pineapple Support, Stripchat to Host LGBTQ Support Group

Pineapple Support and Stripchat are hosting a free online support group for LGBTQ+ individuals within the adult industry, titled "LGBTQ and Proud."

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.

Show More