The drama around Craigslist continued Thursday in two states. Seven people have been indicted on charges of operating a prostitution ring in Queens — and they allegedly found their clients through Craigslist. The defendants are being charged with enterprise corruption, conspiracy and money laundering.
“Until Craigslist gets serious about putting real protections in place, it will continue to be an environment where criminal operations thrive with impunity,” said New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. “Even after so-called reform of the Web site last fall, this prostitution ring easily gamed the system and allegedly used Craigslist to spread its illegal operation throughout all five boroughs and beyond. Today’s arrests underscore the inherent risks posed by Craigslist and, most importantly, the need for protections that are full-fledged, not half-baked.”
Craigslist Not Backing Down
Meanwhile, South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster is claiming victory in his fight to force Craigslist to take down the “erotic services” section of its site.
“Unfortunately, we had to inform them of possible state criminal violations concerning their past practices to produce a serious response. We trust they will now adhere to the higher standards they have promised,” McMaster said. “This office and the law-enforcement agencies of South Carolina will continue to monitor the site to make certain that our laws are respected.”
Two weeks ago, McMaster had said if Craigslist didn’t comply, the company might be subject to criminal investigation and prosecution. But it may be Craigslist who wins the victory in a South Carolina federal court if McMaster doesn’t back down.
Craigslist on Wednesday filed suit against McMaster, seeking declaratory relief and a restraining order with respect to criminal charges he threatened to bring against Craigslist and its executives. Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster said McMaster’s charges are unwarranted and represent an unconstitutional prior restraint on free speech clearly barred by federal…