Citibank.porn, Verizon.porn Found to Be Cybersquatting

Citibank.porn, Verizon.porn Found to Be Cybersquatting

NEW YORK — Citibank, the consumer division of financial services multinational Citigroup, recently scored a victory in a cybersquatting case that involved the domain name Citibank.porn.

It was the second time in the past six months that a Fortune 500 company has been forced into the arbitration process after it chose not to engage in defensive domain registration.

In the recent Citibank.porn case and the Verizon.porn claim, which was decided in October, the companies were able to recover their trademarked names after arbitrators sided with their famous brands, ruling that the domains were registered in bad faith.

In each of the cases, the purchaser of the domains and respondent named in the complaints was Adam Rothman of New York.

Rothman, who did not respond to the complaints, never operated the domains on the web. The sites were parked.

But in both cases the arbitration panels said that the respective brands were tarnished by falsely implying that they were somehow connected to the adult entertainment industry. Each of the domains were ordered transferred to the companies.

Stephen Winyard, director and vice president of ICM Registry, which offers .xxx, .porn, .sex and .adult, told XBIZ that "brands can choose prevention or cure, just like Verizon [or Citibank].”

“It really is their own call depending on their preferences, and we don't have any specific recommendations,” Winyard said.

Cybersquatting proceedings under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), an arbitration-based process that trademark owners can use to recover domain names, can be costly. Filing fees cost $1,500 on top of attorneys fees, and a victory is never a certainty.

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

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, Could Face Override

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.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

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 in 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.

Show More