Picture making millions by processing payments for anyone online, no matter what they do. That’s what victims say major payment processors like CCBill and Epoch were doing. Now they’re facing lawsuits from GirlsDoPorn victims who claim these companies weren’t just handling transactions - they were helping run a sex trafficking operation.
This changes everything. For years, the companies that move money around the internet have operated quietly in the background. They’ve processed payments for legitimate businesses and criminal enterprises alike, often without much oversight. Now victims are saying that’s not good enough anymore.
How Payment Processing Works
Payment processors are like the pipes that move money from your credit card to a website’s bank account. They make online shopping possible, whether you’re buying handmade jewelry or adult content. Companies like CCBill and Epoch specialize in “high-risk” merchants - businesses that regular banks won’t touch because they’re more likely to have fraud or legal problems.
The GirlsDoPorn lawsuit claims these processors did more than just move money around. They allegedly knew they were helping fund a sex trafficking operation and kept doing it anyway. Without credit card processing, GirlsDoPorn couldn’t have made money, found new victims, or grown as large as it did. The victims say the processors were essential partners in financial crimes.
The High-Risk Business Problem
Not all “high-risk” businesses are illegal. Travel companies, online casinos, and some adult websites all fall into this category because they have higher rates of credit card disputes or face more regulations. But serving these businesses means payment processors should be extra careful about who they work with.
That means doing background checks on merchants and watching for suspicious activity. Legal experts say the current lawsuits focus on processors allegedly ignoring warning signs like constant customer complaints, unusual transaction patterns, or sketchy business practices. When processors look the other way, they stop being neutral middlemen and become potential accomplices.
The Federal Trade Commission has gone after payment processors before for working with fake companies and helping illegal schemes. This government oversight shows the industry already has problems that victims are now trying to address through lawsuits.
What This Means Going Forward
These cases could completely change how we think about online responsibility. Usually when we talk about internet crimes, we focus on the criminals themselves or the websites where bad things happen. Going after the financial companies introduces a new way to fight online crime. It says if you help criminals make money, you share some blame for what they do.
The effects could be huge. If victims win these cases, payment processors might have to be much more careful about which businesses they serve. This could impact lots of online industries, especially adult websites. It might force all kinds of internet companies to think more about ethics and human safety, not just making money.
These lawsuits send a clear message: the companies that handle internet payments can’t hide behind claims of neutrality anymore. When they allegedly profit from human suffering, people will hold them accountable. The days of “move fast and break things” might be ending, at least when it comes to moving money online.