Details Emerge About Capture, Arrest of GirlsDoPorn's Michael Pratt

Details Emerge About Capture, Arrest of GirlsDoPorn's Michael Pratt

SAN DIEGO — Further details have emerged in the past week about the capture and arrest of GirlsDoPorn owner Michael Pratt in Spain in December 2022, following his extradition to the U.S. last month.

As XBIZ reported, Pratt made his first appearance in federal court on March 19.

Pratt was captured in Madrid in 2022 after having been a fugitive since leaving the U.S. in 2019, and on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list since 2021.

His capture was requested by U.S. authorities through an Interpol Red Notice in a 19-count indictment for “sex trafficking, production of child pornography, sex trafficking of a minor, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments in connection with the operation of the GirlsDoPorn adult website.”

At the time of his court appearance, FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy said that Pratt’s arrest and extradition reflected “a great collaboration among multiple agencies, both in the United States and Spain who were dedicated to seeking justice for the young women he allegedly victimized. This large, internationally coordinated effort could not have been successful without support from our law enforcement partners in Spain, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Justice, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

An article about the extradition, published last week by the Los Angeles Times, included an interview with Brian Holm, the attorney for Pratt’s alleged victims.

According to the Times, Holm said a team of “amateur sleuths” helped authorities trace Pratt to a Barcelona mailing address.

“We got tired of waiting for him to be found,” Holm told the paper.

However, sources familiar with the case and with the circumstances of Pratt’s capture questioned the Times report, finding it implausible that Holm would refer to "amateur sleuths," a term that contradicts the FBI's version of events.

The same sources pointed XBIZ to the account of Pratt’s capture published by Spanish newspaper El Español in December 2022, in an article that has not been quoted in English-language coverage until now.

Teamwork by Private Investigators and U.S., Spain Law Enforcement

El Español reported that Pratt was tracked by the Group of Fugitive Location of the Spanish National Police, which found him registered at a hotel on Madrid’s central Gran Vía under one of several fake identities he used during his years on the lam.

“Agents detected Pratt was to arrive at the hotel in the morning, using one of three usual fake identities. The arrest happened early in the afternoon. Intelligence officers with the police worked for more than a year trying to track him, and he was one of the outfit’s top targets.”

El Español noted that Pratt’s arrest was the first time someone on the FBI’s notorious Ten Most Wanted list was apprehended in Spain. In the past, the list has included extremely high-profile criminals such as Osama Bin Laden.

Once the Spanish authorities received information about Pratt from their U.S. counterparts, they initially tracked him to a Barcelona address — but due to several complications, an arrest could not be made at the time, the newspaper reported.

At that point, several U.S. private investigators traveled to Spain and teamed up with American and Spanish law enforcement agents to follow Pratt’s trail from Barcelona to Madrid, resulting in the December 2022 arrest.

Holm was likely referring to these private investigators when speaking with the Times, which then labeled them “amateur sleuths.”

Pratt entered a “not guilty” plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel E. Butcher. A motion hearing/trial setting has been scheduled for April 19.

For XBIZ’s ongoing coverage of the GirlsDoPorn case, click here.

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

British Documentary Spotlights XBIZ Amsterdam With Candid Conversations

British creator and host Josh Pieters traveled to XBIZ Amsterdam to film a documentary about the annual European adult industry conference.

XBIZ 2026 to Debut 'New Talent Go-See' Special Event

XBIZ 2026, North America’s premier adult industry conference, will debut a special event designed to help new talent jump-start their careers: the New Talent Go-See.

Penthouse Announces Digital Archive Launch

Penthouse Magazine has announced that it will launch a comprehensive digital archive in 2026.

Dreamcam Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

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

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches by Country for August, September

AEBN has released the list of popular searches from its straight and gay theaters by country in August and September.

AV in Focus: A Guide to Unlocking Compliance With Clarity

The age verification era isn’t coming — it’s here. Laws are already on the books in numerous U.S. states, as well as in the U.K., France and beyond.

Canadian Privacy Commissioner Endorses National AV Bill

Philippe Dufresne, privacy commissioner of Canada, has voiced support for a bill that would impose fines of up to $500,000 on adult sites that do not implement age verification for Canadian viewers.

Ricky Johnson Launches 'Ricky's Resort' Through YourPaysitePartner

Ricky's Room studio honcho Ricky Johnson has launched his latest site, RickysResort.com, through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Industry Attorney Paul Cambria Retires After 50 Years of Practicing Law

After more than a half-century in practice, during which he provided the defense in some of the adult industry's most notable legal cases, attorney Paul Cambria has retired.

2026 XMA Nominations Party Set for Nov. 19 in Hollywood

The 2026 XMA nominations reveal party will take place at Keys on the Sunset Strip on Wednesday, Nov. 19, with red-carpet arrivals starting at 8 p.m.

Show More