$4M Default Judgment for Private in Copyright Suit

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Private Media Group has been awarded $4 million in damages against the operators of adult tube site PornVisit.com in a default judgment.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Mark W. Bennett was made Tuesday after operators Mark Faragalla and Mina Faragalla of Beaumont, Calif., failed to respond to the suit for allegedly streaming 19 videos on PornVisit.

Bennett also ordered an injunction against the Faragallas and any employees from poaching and streaming Private's content.

Private's copyright infringement suit through its Fraserside IP division said PornVisit placed its own watermark on the videos subject to the infringement claim and "proudly" displayed the number of instances in which they were viewed.

With a default ruling at hand, Bennett said that Private had faced $2.85 million in damages on copyright claims — but that wasn't all.

Bennett also calculated $1.1 million in damages on Lanham Act claims and $13,000 in attorneys fees, totaling $4 million.

"The PornVisit.com website is a cash cow, made all the more profitable by the fact that its product is the result of pirating copies of other adult films," Bennett ruled. "Based on PornVisit.com's 100,000-plus pages on Google, the site generated $60,000 per month in advertising revenue alone, or $720,000 a year."

Bennett also calculated PornVisit's revenue based on the recruitment of new members, which he said generated $135,000.

With advertising and membership revenue added up, Bennett said that "erring on the conservative side," concluding that Private had suffered $1.1 million in actual damages on Lanham Act claims.

Private spokesman Jason Tucker told XBIZ that Bennett used strong language to make his point. 

"Judge Bennett understood the situation that this content producer is in and the frustration we experience in seeking justice against those who pilfer our hard work product," Tucker said. "I am very pleased with the outcome. 

"With maximum damages — $150,000 per infringement — awarded across the board, I think that the message is clear; if proven a pirate of protected work, you will pay a high price.  Along with Attorney Chad Bellville, we will continue to fight on behalf of producers.”

Related:  

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

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Sex Work CEO Debuts Upgraded 'GPTease' AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Canvas in-chat editing feature to its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

North Carolina Passes Extreme Bill Targeting Adult Sites

The North Carolina state legislature this week ratified a bill that would impose new regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

Supreme Court Ruling Due Friday in FSC v. Paxton AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on Friday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the adult industry trade association's challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Show More