DOJ sets up compensation fund for Backpage sex trafficking victims

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The seal of the U.S. Department of Justice is seen on a podium during a press conference. The DOJ has launched its largest-ever victim compensation fund for survivors of sex trafficking facilitated through Backpage.com. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Survivors of sex trafficking who were exploited through the now-defunct website Backpage.com can now apply for financial compensation through a new Department of Justice program.

The DOJ on Thursday announced the launch of its official Backpage remission process, designed to return more than $200 million in seized assets to victims whose abuse was facilitated through the site. Officials say this is the largest compensation effort of its kind for victims of human trafficking.

Backpage operated from 2004 until its 2018 seizure by the U.S. government and was once considered one of the largest online platforms for sex-related advertising. Prosecutors say the company and its executives knowingly profited from ads linked to sex trafficking—including trafficking of minors—and laundered millions in illegal revenue through related businesses. Several former executives have been convicted and sentenced.

Who is eligible for the Backpage victim compensation fund?

What we know:

Victims or their legal representatives—including the estates of deceased victims—can file a petition and access FAQs, updates, and eligibility details at backpageremission.com. No fees are required to file, and neither the DOJ nor Epiq will ask victims for any form of payment.

• The fund is open to individuals whose sex trafficking was facilitated by advertisements posted on Backpage.com between January 1, 2004, and April 6, 2018.
• Victims must show they incurred financial losses related to their trafficking to qualify.
• Petitions must be filed online or by mail through the official Remission Administrator, Epiq Global, by February 2, 2026.

What we don't know:

The DOJ has not said how many victims it expects to apply, or how long it may take to review and distribute compensation once petitions are submitted.

• How long the remission review process will take for each case.
• What percentage of funds will be distributed per eligible claim.
• Whether additional phases of compensation may be announced later depending on claims volume.

What they're saying:

"Backpage.com facilitated the exploitation of women and children as one of the largest online advertisers for commercial sex and sex trafficking over its 14-year existence," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti. "Today’s announcement underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to use forfeiture to take the profit out of crime and to compensate victims."

U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine added that holding executives criminally accountable "was only one piece of justice," and returning the profits to real victims is another.

Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation said traffickers may try to operate in the shadows, but "the money always leaves a trail," adding that IRS-CI is committed to following financial networks to help bring justice to survivors.

The backstory:

Backpage.com was seized by the federal government in April 2018 after years of mounting legal pressure. Investigators from the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service spent years tracing how the company enabled traffickers and laundered profits. Prosecutors ultimately secured convictions for executives who conspired to facilitate unlawful commercial sex and engage in money laundering.

In December 2024, the DOJ forfeited more than $200 million in assets linked to Backpage’s earnings. That money now serves as the basis for this victim compensation fund.

The remission process is overseen by the DOJ’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, which has returned over $12 billion in forfeited assets to victims since 2000.

What's next:

The DOJ is urging survivors or their legal representatives to review eligibility requirements and file petitions before the February 2, 2026 deadline. The Remission Administrator is available via backpageremission.com, toll-free at 1-888-859-9206, or internationally at 1-971-316-5053.