LOS ANGELES — Manwin, parent company of Brazzers, on Thursday responded to statements made by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) during a press conference Wednesday when the organization announced it had filed complaints with state and federal health officials against the company for its alleged involvement with a possible HIV positive performer.
AHF President Michael Weinstein said Wednesday during a media teleconference that his organization has filed a “sanitary nuisance” health complaint with the Florida Department of Health, and a similar letter of complaint with federal OSHA officials against Brazzers.
He said AHF was making the filings because a possible HIV-positive, male performer may have worked on the company’s shoot, according to AHF's own information gathering.
An AHF press release stated that Brazzers "was widely reported as the company where the infected performer was allegedly employed. Industry sources say the male performer involved had worked directly — and without condoms — with as many as a dozen female performers."
Manwin issued a statement Thursday saying those accusations are false and further demanded an "immediate retraction" by the AHF.
The Montreal-based Manwin's official statement follows:
"Manwin and some of its online properties have recently been falsely accused by AIDS Healthcare Foundation as well as by other organizations in relation to possible HIV exposure of an adult industry performer. The AHF statement is an unacceptable attempt to undermine the reputation of our producers through the publication of false information.
"Our attorneys have sent the AHF a formal request demanding an immediate retraction."
The statement continues: "Manwin and its affiliated producers wish to reiterate that we take industry performers' health and safety very serious and as such, we have at all times operated our business in strict compliance with all applicable state and federal laws. Consequently, all of our adult online properties and their producers have accurately and meticulously followed best and standard industry practices when it comes to testing our performers.
"Manwin and its producers have never attempted to hide any information or mislead anyone concerning the nature of the incident. We have acted as diligently as possible in a transparent manner in order to avoid and to mitigate any potential damages of any nature for our performers specifically and for the industry as a whole in accordance with the advice of our counsel.
"More specifically, at no time did 'Patient A' perform or provide any services for any of our producers after any test results were disclosed reflecting even the possibility of HIV exposure or infection. This fact is well documented and proves that the industry testing process works precisely as it should.
"In addition, 'Performer A' has never worked for Brazzers.com. The performer in question has worked for a separate website known as Mofos.com."
Manwin concluded its statement as such: "To this extent, statements to the contrary are inaccurate and possibly defamatory. We are currently waiting for a final and clear result on whether or not 'Patient A' has tested positive for HIV. This process and its corresponding privacy implications means that we cannot comment further until the full results have been legally transmitted and disclosed.
"Until then, we cannot and will not tolerate any further malicious, unverified, inaccurate or misleading statements published by anyone. In addition, we will not further comment on the sanitary nuisance health complaint with the Florida Department of Health and a similar letter of complaint with federal OSHA officials until we have had the opportunity to review the content of these documents and their implications."
The Free Speech Coalition also said Wednesday it had been falsely accused by AHF of obstructing a medical investigation by the Los Angeles County Public Health regarding the same possible HIV case. In addition, FSC said AHF had falsely accused it of withholding information from public health authorities and demanded a retraction of both statements.
