Legal

Judge Bars Joe Francis From Attending Phoenix Forum

By: Peter Warren

Posted: 03/28/2008

RENO, Nev. — Federal judge Robert McQuaid ruled Monday that 'Girls Gone Wild' owner Joe Francis will not be allowed to attend this weekend's adult biz conference the Phoenix Forum, which his company is co-sponsoring.

As reported by the Associated Press, Francis has been restricted since being freed March 10 from the Reno jail where he was imprisoned for nearly a year to traveling between there and Southern California. He still awaits trial for the tax fraud charges on which he was being held.

While McQuaid did extend Francis' allowed travel destinations to include San Francisco, where his tax attorneys are based, he did not see a compelling enough reason to grant Francis his request to go to Phoenix.

"It doesn't appear to the court that the trip has a valid business purpose," McQuaid said.

Francis is currently attempting to have his tax fraud trial moved from Reno to Los Angeles, while at the same time facing new charges filed last week by four women alleging that his company solicited them to appear in sexually provocative videos when they were underage.

To see an exclusive interview with Francis conducted by AVN Online's Bianca Fox, please visit www.avnlive.com.