Ethical Capital Partners (ECP), a private-equity firm headquartered in Ottawa, has announced its acquisition of MindGeek, the parent company of Pornhub and numerous other adult entertainment websites.
ECP did not disclose any details of the purchase.
The press release stated that Montreal-based MindGeek is “committed to quality adult entertainment made by and for consenting adults on platforms that set the standard for trust and safety, and instituting compliance measures that surpass those of other platforms on the internet.”
“The adult entertainment industry will always be the subject of significant legal and regulatory scrutiny,” said Derek Ogden, one of ECP’s founding partners. “We are highly aware that mere regulatory compliance is not enough and that MindGeek must reassure, communicate and take on a more visible leadership role. Our pre-close reviews revealed that MindGeek operates legally and responsibly. We look forward to communicating the path forward for MindGeek and its holdings.”
The deal comes after a rocky few years for MindGeek. They previously faced a U.S. lawsuit regarding exploitation allegations in 2021. The suit alleged that 30 people had been exploited on Pornhub’s site and had been victims of child pornography, rape, and human trafficking.
In 2022, Mastercard suspended payment privileges of TrafficJunky, MindGeek’s advertising arm.
The acquisition also comes shortly after Netflix released its Money Shot: The Pornhub Story documentary, helmed by Suzane Hillinger, which explores Pornhub’s controversies over the years. The film also features interviews with some of the website’s performers and ex-employees.
