Opening statements begin in website founder’s 2nd trial over ads promoting prostitution

By TERRY TANG
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — Federal prosecutors in Phoenix say a founder of the classified ad site Backpage.com and four employees carefully strategized how to bring in ads for prostitution to maintain their top-earning platform. Attorneys for Michael Lacey and the other four defendants countered that their clients had nothing to do with the daily operations of classified ads. The clash over culpability was at the center of opening statements Thursday in the second trial of Backpage leadership. All five defendants face charges of facilitating prostitution and laundering money. All five have pleaded not guilty to facilitating prostitution. Only three pleaded not guilty to laundering money.