TORONTO -- Penthouse/FriendFinder has acquired WebcamCash, which will be run by that company's operation Streamray.
A posting Thursday on the adult message board GFY said, "We are pleased to announce that effective February 25, 2009, WebcamCash, Spread4U and Cam Club will be owned and operated by Streamray and Cams.com, the Internet's leading adult webcam provider. This will result in tremendously more traffic to our network of sites, with more earning potential for models and studios than ever before. We are certain this purchase will have a positive effect for both models and members.
Representatives from FriendFinder were not available for comment, but Barry Fruitman, who co-owns WebcamCash with his wife Hazel, confirmed the takeover will be effective next Wednesday.
"We're planning on contacting everyone involved -- the models, the affiliates, our members," he told AVN Online.
On the GFY thread, current affiliates exchanged messages on the board wondering if current percentage rates would continue and if Streamray would demand more traffic.
"Some people obviously get a little nervous when they hear thing like this," Fruitman told AVN Online. "I can't speak for Streamray, but they wanted to acquire WebcamCash to take advantage of our affiliate base, our member base and our talent base, so I certainly don't think they're going to burn that or burn anyone, but again, I can't speak for Streamray."
Fruitman told AVN Online he felt the time was right to sell.
"The current state of the economy told me it was time to get out, but didn't force me into it," he said.
FriendFinder first approached WebcamCash several years ago.
"I said no at the time, but more recently, it came up again and I realized it was a good time to get out with what the company's worth and move on to the next thing," Fruitman said.
And what will that next thing be?
"No idea," he said. "Something non-adult. I've had a good run in adult and watched it grow up with WebcamCash."
