Joe Francis Now Faces Possibility of Incarceration

LOS ANGELES — To date, former Girls Gone Wild mogul Joe Francis must pay $50,000 in sanctions — incurring $5,000-a-day fines over the past 10 days — for not handing over a 2012 Bentley Flying Spur and a 2007 Cadillac Escalade.

Both vehicles, previously Girls Gone Wild company cars, were reported by Francis to have been seized by a Mexican strip club operator after the company defaulted on a deal. As a result, Francis said he can't produce the cars allegedly taken in Guadalajara, Mexico.

But on Friday U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sandra Klein could do more than just collect the daily sanctions and a bankruptcy trustee's attorneys fees from Francis in her July 17 civil contempt order.

Klein could incarcerate Francis if he doesn't hand over the $200,000 Bentley and aging Cadillac.

If the two cars haven't been returned by Friday, "the court will consider what additional sanctions, if any, including issuance of arrest warrants for Francis…might be appropriate,” according to Judge Klein’s 31-page order filed at U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles.

Klein, in the order, said that Francis' story about the cars is "difficult to believe and sufficient to demonstrate impossibility."

Earlier this month, Klein also said that Francis had violated a consent order and preliminary injunction that barred him from communicating with or harassing Girls Gone Wild employees, coming within 100 feet of its offices and interfering with the trustee's control of assets.

Due to the violation, Klein imposed $40,000 in attorneys fees to a trustee and likely will grant another $20,000 on Friday.

Today, Francis' attorney, Michael Kolodzi, filed an opposition to Klein's civil contempt sanctions that could include incarceration.

In a brief, Kolodzi told the court, citing a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals case, that the judge has no authority for criminal contempt powers because of the inability of bankruptcy courts to offer the required due process procedural protections, including a jury.

The brief also noted that Francis' girlfriend, as principal of Perfect Science Labs, a company controlled by Francis, also faces incarceration.

GGW Acquisition bought Girls Gone Wild assets for $1.825 million at bankruptcy auction. The company's assets went up for sale after Francis-operated companies filed Chapter 11 in a reported pre-emptive move to stave off Las Vegas entertainment mogul Steve Wynn and his companies from taking assets as repayment for more than $30 million in gambling debts.

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

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches for May, June

AEBN has released the top search terms for the months of May and June from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Brittney Kade Headlines Latest From TransSensual

Brittney Kade stars in "Sweat Slut Licks Pretty Pits for Bear Fuck," from TransSensual.

Two Texas Bills Restricting Sex Toy Sales Fail to Pass

Two bills aimed at restricting sales of sex toys have failed to pass the Texas state legislature during its 2025 session.

Sweet Sinner Releases 7th Volume of 'The Hot Wives'

Kenzie Taylor, Little Puck, Blake Blossom, and Sophia Locke star in the seventh volume of "The Hot Wives," from Mile High Media studio imprint Sweet Sinner.

NYC Adult Stores Petition for Rehearing in Zoning Law Case

A group of adult businesses on Tuesday petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit to rehear a case involving a zoning law that could severely limit adult stores’ operations in New York City.

Leilani Li, Angellica Good Star in Latest From TransAngels

Leilani Li and Angellica Good star in the latest release from TransAngels, titled “Double VR Mouth Swap,” alongside Marcus McNeill.

Ember Snow Performs 1st DP in Latest From Pure Taboo

Ember Snow has performed her first DP alongside multi-XMAs winner Seth Gamble and Vince Karter in a new psychological thriller release from Pure Taboo, titled “Locked in a Nightmare.”

Savvy Suxx Is Hustler's 'Cover Honey' for August

Savvy Suxx is the Cover Honey for the August issue of Hustler Magazine and appears in a 14-page centerfold spread shot by ThisYearsModel.com.

Ofcom Releases Transparency Reporting Guidelines

Ofcom, the U.K. media regulator, has made public its official guidance detailing how online service providers — including adult sites — will be required to publish annual transparency reports on their efforts to protect children from online harms.

New AV Rules Take Effect for Ireland-Based Sites

Ireland’s Online Safety Code came into force Monday, including a provision requiring adult sites headquartered in Ireland to implement age assurance measures beyond self-declaration.

Show More