QCrimes: Rentboy Dismantled – CEO Accused Of Running A Prostitution Ring

Hear that? It’s the sound of thousands of escorts panicking! News that Rentboy (in case you are living under a rock, RB is/was? a social network site that promised to act as a bridge between male sex workers, masseurs and potential clients) was being raided by the authorities sent shockwaves all across the porn industry. Its acting CEO, Jeffrey Hunt (some news outlets also identify him as Jeffrey Hurant), and 6 other executives, including a woman, were arrested by Department of Homeland Security and the NYPD under charges including money laundering and prostitution. It is worth to note that the social network site always made clear that it was not an escort agency and that their mission was to list the services for male escorts adding that they wanted to create a “non-judgmental space” where anyone curious about exploring male-male companionship can hire a man by the hour, “where men place their own ads and work for themselves, so that clients can contact them directly.”

“As alleged, Rentboy.com attempted to present a veneer of legality, when in fact this internet brothel made millions of dollars from the promotion of illegal prostitution,” U.S. Attorney Kelly Currie.

In the papers, Rentboy has never being shy or obscure about their intentions and even participated in high profile events. A few years ago Jake Shears from Scissor Sisters even used Rentboy to promote the band’s latest album with a fake profile featuring suggestive photos of the frontman. Other significant intervention from the company that attracted the attention from the media were the Hustlaball gatherings, the International Escort Awards, also known as the “Hookies” and the recent launch of a Rentboy “scholarship” prize for current male students who do sex work on the side that was announced by porn star Colby Keller. It seems that RB was a very lucrative business grossing more than $10 million in the past five years alone from their monthly subscriptions. That money is now frozen, but apparently the cash also came directly from the prostitution ring lead by Hurant who the the authorities refer as “cyber pimp.”

We ask you QC reader, what’s your take on the demise of Rentboy? Have you ever hired an escort there? Do you think the accusations are real? Tell us in the comments!