DOJ Extends Deadline for Compensation to Trafficking Victims

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has extended the deadline for financial compensation claims from victims of sex trafficking advertised on the websites Backpage and CityXGuide to March 31, 2025. This extension aims to provide survivors an opportunity to access funds that may facilitate their recovery and healing. The FBI has emphasized the availability of free legal assistance for potential claimants, directing them to backpageremission.com for more information.

Background of the Backpage Seizure

In July 2025, the DOJ initiated a remission process to financially compensate victims whose trafficking experiences were facilitated through the Backpage.com website. This program represents the largest effort to date aimed at compensating human trafficking victims. The FBI seized and shut down Backpage on April 6, 2018, after identifying it as a significant platform for facilitating commercial sex and human trafficking for 15 years. Initially developed as a competitor to Craigslist, Backpage featured a section for “Adult Services,” which became a hub for criminal activity, including the trafficking of minors.

The DOJ has characterized Backpage as the “internet’s leading source of prostitution-related advertisements.” In a statement last July, Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, highlighted the severe implications of the website’s operations: “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.”

Compensation Details and Eligibility

The compensation process also includes victims of trafficking on CityXGuide for incidents occurring between April 8, 2018, and July 19, 2020. Funding for these compensation efforts comes from over $200 million in assets, which include cash, cryptocurrency, and a parcel of real estate in San Francisco linked to Backpage’s profits. The government seized these assets in December 2024 as part of the forfeiture process.

Epiq Global Inc. has been appointed by the DOJ as the Remission Administrator to oversee the distribution of funds. Victims, their representatives, or the estates of deceased victims are eligible to file petitions online to seek compensation.

The DOJ’s initiative underscores its commitment to eradicating the profits derived from criminal activities and supporting the survivors of such heinous acts. As the deadline approaches, the focus remains on ensuring that victims receive the financial assistance they deserve to rebuild their lives after the trauma of trafficking.