The Lesson Tony Ortega And His Sex Trafficking Pals Refused To Learn

Tony Ortega Backpage Apologist

Beginning in or around January 2016, Backpage’s moderators were instructed to stop removing ads that contained the phrase “ GFE”, short for ‘Girl Friend Experience’. For example, on January 28, 2016, Assistant Operations Manager Joye Vaught was sent an email from a Backpage moderator explaining that “ As far as I am aware we are no longer removing ads for GFE.“

Similarly, on March 9, 2016, a Backpage moderator sent an email to his coworkers explaining that “ Andrew [Padilla ] and I talked about the GFE thing, going forward we will not be removing ads for GFE” and clarifying “ this includes even gfe with price.“

And again, on March 25, 2016, an email was sent to Backpage’s moderation staff stating that “ We are no longer removing ads for ‘GFE’ or ‘PSE. [Porn Star Experience.” Both terms are well known among prostitution websites to denote paid sexual services.

Indeed, the all of the Backpage defendants listed in the court documents repeatedly acknowledged that the term “GFE” is coded term for prostitution. For example:

  • On October 26, 2010, Executive Vice president Scott Spear, Sales and Marketing Director Dan Hyer, and Backpage’s own Operation Manager Andrew Padilla received an email from CEO Carl Ferrer that explained: “ No coded sex act for money: GFE, PSE, BBBJ [Bare Back Blow Job], DATY [Dining at the Y, ‘oral sex’] , etc.”

  • On May 4, 2011, Hyer sent an email to Padilla and others identifying ‘GFE’ as a “code word” that should be forbidden.

  • On August 31, 2011, Padilla and Carl Ferrer exchanged emails in which they discussed a list of 100 “ solid sex for money terms.” The list included “ GFE = girlfriend experience.”

  • On November 2, 2011, Padilla and Vaught received an email from a co-worker identifying GFE in a list of “ sex phrases and coded terms” that are “ not allowed

Though Carl Ferrer maintains the above was ‘official policy’ there is ample evidence that moderators were routinely encouraged to ignore these ‘official’ guidelines as these were ads which were well known to generate the majority of Backpage’s illicit sex profiteering.

As we’ve seen with similar bad faith operators like Tony Ortega, talking out of both sides of their mouth makes identifying their lies more difficult as it gives them plausible deniability because they can point to the fact that their ‘official policy’ precludes the inclusion of such terms.

This convoluted ‘double talk’ was all part of the plan meant to keep them from getting caught condoning criminality. By now, however, the amount of evidence showing that these guidelines were nothing more than a smoke screen had all but eroded any credibility reference to Backpage’s documented ‘company policy’ might have otherwise had.

Lie to someone often enough and they begin to distrust you even when you’re telling the truth. This, more than any other, seems to be the lesson professional liars like Tony Ortega and his sex trafficking pals never seemed to learn.