CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand/SAN DIEGO—Michael Pratt, the notorious founder of GirlsDoPorn, who is facing decades in prison after pleading guilty earlier this month to federal sex trafficking charges, spoke for the first time since doing so to New Zealand-based journalists, offering his perspective on the entire case against him.
The New Zealand Herald journalist Kurt Bayer, head of news for the South Island, spoke to Pratt by way of a family member.
Pratt is currently incarcerated in a San Diego federal prison. Bayer reports, "[Pratt] refused to respond to some of the most serious allegations, on the advice of his lawyer, and appeared to downplay the true nature of his 'business,' but in answering Herald questions relayed via a family member, he gave his version of the story for the first time."
Most of the material Bayer regurgitates in his report is paraphrased. There are very few direct quotes from Pratt or the family member serving as the go-between for Bayer.
“Mike has said he would like to say how bad he feels to any of the girls [who] had negative consequences that came from doing the videos,” Pratt said via his family member.
Pratt's family has "supported" him from afar, and he also "spoke about the 'massive strain' his case has had on them. Jail has not been a pleasant experience."
The full report is available here.
Pratt is the final defendant in the GirlsDoPorn case to plead guilty after years of protracted litigation and criminal investigation. In 2019, Pratt fled the United States to avoid arrest and remained at large, ultimately being placed on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 10 most wanted list alongside terrorists and drug cartel leaders.
As AVN reported previously, Pratt was arrested by the Spanish National Police in Madrid, Spain in December 2022. He was later extradited to the United States. Then, he first appeared at a San Diego federal court in March 2024. Pratt initially chose a plea of not guilty, which was entered on his behalf.
Pratt will be sentenced in September.
