These are the results of a thread that started on GFY, It didn't stay open very long, AVN shut it down REALLY quick....Its making a lot of people ask why.
For the record I spoke to someone at Manwin and Manwin flatly denies having any ownership at all in filesonic.
In the webmaster community this is just another "We don't have any ownership in any tube sites" Turns out they owned 8 of the ten largest. You be the judge.
bbm
So Fucking Banned -Note...the original poster was banned for this threadJoin Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,712In the last few days there was a lot of fuss about all these file sharing sites shutting down which got me interested so I did a little digging and found out a few surprising details. Turns out that FileSonic is owned and operated by the same people who own Brazzers, how about that? This information seems to be kept a secret pretty good, but here and there stuff leaks. I've talked to a friend of mine who had some copyright issues with FileSonic and he managed to get the records unsealed during some legal proceedings and he was pretty shocked to find out who the real owners were. I guess that is why they've split for cover and effectively shut the whole thing down, cos let's face it, being in Canada and USA and all is not very good for you freedom options these days if you own a site like that. There are also a few more interesting facts. It seems like FileSonic were redirecting traffic, spreading it across a ton of domains to keep traffic rankings significantly lower than they really are, check out filesonic.fr, filesonic.jp and the rest! Combined traffic of FileSonic alone is probably bigger than that of Megaupload.
FileServe.com (owned by Choopa) shut down was motivated by exactly same reason in my opinion, being way too large and being in USA. Getting one of the biggest file sharing host is a pretty smart move for Choopa. All this makes me think that Megaupload was probably not the biggest or the baddest out there. These two combined probably were and are still pretty monstrous, not to mention the fact that each of them operated several quite large satellite services like WUpload for FileSonic and UploadStation and FileJungle for FileServe.
I also think that may be we are getting too worried and making a big mistake here getting all nasty towards older, managable hosts. If Brazzers owned one, it sure as hell was good for them and they do not delete their stuff from anywhere, even from other hosts. I also spoke with a few guys from several affiliate programs and they say they don't bother too much about their content being hosted there cos it's a free ad space. Lots of people come and buy memberships (provided of course the site is good enough to justify that).
Also I think that if a person doesn't want to buy or can't buy a membership they won't do it no matter if the content is there or not. Those guys also told me that getting stuff removed is pretty simple as these hosts are easy to talk to most of the time. So instead of fighting them may be we should consider working with them on some sort of beneficial partnership? You guys willing to entertain ideas on that?
All these folks who got kicked out of all the major dead or dying hosts are going to look elsewhere and new players will start popping up which in fact is a lot worse than dealing with those familiar hosts we have online now. New guys will have to be aggressive to grow fast. So attention should be paid.
Anyway there is a lot of food for thought here. May be they are not as bad as we think? Look at Brazzers and a few other big sponsors they do not care much about their content being shared and I think they either know smth we don't or have a vision.
What we should worry about are those damned tubes, like http://www.xvideos.com/
It's Alexa is 50 and you can find anything there from every sponsor, free, and that seems really dangerous to me.
So what do you think about all of that?
Proof I have comes from one of the niche sponsors. He'll see this thread and if he'll see fit to post it up or confirm he will. I can't betray the confidence as it was uncovered during legal squabbles with FileSonic.
You can however ask webzilla.com owner Alex, who helped put the deal together when Filesonic bought Sharing Matrix from dacash.com and renamed it.
Posted by Nautilus
Yes there were (and still are) rumors that FileSonic is owned by Brazzers, but most likely by former owners of Brazzers, not the current ones.
BarefootsiesAs Nathan/Fabian admitted in his keynote, most of those same original dudes from Mansef still work for Manwin. They are not old and new, they are all the same guys with a new figure head.
Nautilus
Filesonic is not old, it's new. And it was TOTALLY out of control. Not only they never removed the master file, never blocked it by hash value and never banned repeat infringers, they had a fucking API to facilitate repeat infringment. API for repeat infringers no more no less, how's that managable. In practice that meant that after you took down some links they reappeared often within MINUTES - some script would simply access that API and ask for the new set of generated links to the master file and replace the ones that went dead automatically. Because of that we had to send dozens of DMCAs for the same siterips posted at sites like pornorips.com to absolutely no avail, all links were alive and kicking again within a couple of hours after the fake "deletion" max.
They actually did MORE to facilitate infringment than MU did, much more. No wonder they simply closed up shop after MU was busted - they knew damn well what they were doing and where it'll land them if they wouldn't pull the plug immediatly.
AsianDivaGirls
Are you saying that the guys from Mansef (that Fabian Thylmann paid to buy the company from, after their money laundering run-in with the FBI), used their money to buy Filesonic (or already owned it), or that the current Manwin under Fabian Thylmann owns Filesonic? Please clarify.
I guess AVN was too busy covering Nathan's image rehab Porn King coronation extravaganza in Vegas, and doing their (so far 5+ month) investigation of DeeCash/Media Revenue to have time to do any serious investigative/journalistic sleuthing into this allegation which has been percolating for awhile now...
slappin fishI remember reading in a thread uploaders saying you can upload anything to filesonic including necro, rape...just don't upload Brazzers. makes sense nowsignupdammitIf this is all true you would think it is a slam dunk racketeering and conspiracy case for the Department of Justice. Use the Filesonic conspiracy to devalue your competitors and cause illegal harm to them so that you can buy them for pennies on the dollar or otherwise let them go out of business.
dwb
You can't flunk, cheat, or steal your way out of porn. Even if proof is found they own every file locker and torrent in the world, nothing would change and these dildos would still praise them.
I'm really shocked that people really think there would be in investigation. Considering the rumors of who really owns AVN/GFY and who used to be Fabians VP but now running MR. [MR is Media Revenue...Long suspected of very shady behavior]
It's a no brainer.
Remember when Mansef denied they would never own tubes and pirates would be dealt with? All the while THEY were the biggest pirates and owned tubes. Comedy.
So if they sold all their assets to Fabian, he now owns it. Right?
This is a great thread. Looking forward to the lock and possible deletion.
No, that is not common knowledge. How convenient.
Filesonic was registered in 2008. Why would they not sell that along with their other assets in 2010?
And is it any wonder the Media Revenue investigation died considering Manwins involvement with Playboy, who owns AVN, and Fabians VP of Virage now working at Media Revenue? Duh.
AVN Theo
RE: Latest news about file hosts, FileSonic and FileServe conspiracy uncovered! All in one.
LUXEMBOURG, January 25, 2012 - In response to false allegations linking Manwin to FileSonic, made today on the industry message board GFY, Manwin issues the following statement:
Manwin, which owns Brazzers, has no relations - business or otherwise - to FileSonic, nor to any other file sharing sites. Any statement otherwise is a fabrication, and will be met with a swift response.
GFY rule #9 guards against false accusations:
False accusations against a person or company. We all want to know what companies and individuals have done you wrong. Just make sure you back any claims you make up with solid proof. If you plan on calling someone a scammer, liar, cheat, or anything else, have your proof in order and post it with your claim. False accusations will be grounds for immediate banning.
In light of the above, Manwin requests GFY look into the thread started by “bbm” and request the user prove their claim, or face immediate banning – as per the message board’s policy.
At this point th thread was locked and the thread starter banned, seems AVN didn't like webmasters asking questions. It has long been rumored that Manwin owns and controls AVN, but thats another story.
There would appear to be something to this, but you have to read carefully to see where it's at.
"Manwin, which owns Brazzers, has no relations - business or otherwise - to FileSonic"
This I think it fundementally true. Manwin has no business relationship with Filesonic. However, they are careful not to discuss Mansef, and they are not particularly exclusionary to the time before Manwin existed. There is potential that filesonic (and the name it was under before filesonic, which escapes me right now) was or is run by people who were part of Mansef, related to people in Mansef, or who use to work for Mansef.
What the Manwin guys have to deal with an accept is that for ages and ages, Mansef denied up and down the tube site ownership thing, saying that it wasn't their stuff, but belonged to someone who was an ex-employee. Since all of those things appear to have been rolled up into Manwin, we can only speculate as to what was really going on. When you have a history of being somewhat less than direct about things like this, it is likely that people ask questions.
I think Manwin could do themselves a favor and expand their statement to include that Manwin, and all of it's component companies such as Mansef, have no involvement with Filesonic, that Filesonic is not run by current or past employees or owners, and is not and was not run at any time on a network or server owned or operated by any of those companies. I think that by being a little selective with their words, they left space open for interpretation, and that isn't good.
I am not accusing them of anything, just saying they could be more complete in their denial.
What I believe, what I know and what I can prove are three entirely separate things. But...
The speed with which that thread on GFY was quashed, and the formal press release denial by Manwin appearing on AVN, certainly raises an eyebrow or three.
When look in Manwin Brazzer gone find lot skeletons hang in there closet. They do not want any one porn indusrty know what some those skeletons are that hang in there closet. Why they bought porn media out lets like Avn so can issues statement denyle about thing they do not porn indusrty know there doing. How ever this has Brazzer Manwin finger prints all over from start to finsih. Frist Brazzer Manwin denie they have any part of doing this but company do this one they owen that alone shoots statments in doubt. Second they go kill story fast they can issue statement through Avn makes many with brain go Wtf. Once again Manwin Brazzer are acting like porn company that did some thing wrong are about be caught with there hand in cookie jar. Knowing Manwin Brazzer history if there file share history get exposed for what is buy some one investigate in to that gone find them leave USA set up shop in some other counrty freindly to them.
Record breaking time for closing a board thread and 7pm press releases out of Europe aside, where there is smoke there is fire.
Also considering every rumor about Manwin seems to eventually end up being the truth, along with all the other shady dealings involved with them prior and past, including the attempted strong arming of ICM, it makes it impossible to believe anything they say, especially when it comes to piracy.
It is in their best interest to lie, cheat, steal, deny, and acquire whatever it takes to distance themselves from Filesonic or any other of the cyber lockers they probably own. But not a single person in the business would be surprised if they owned it lock, stock and barrel. Just as it would not surprise anyone if the previous Mansef owners are the other half of Fabians empire and never left in the first place. After all, Fabian is only the "managing partner." That means someone else, or other people, own the rest of the company.
Not that any of that matters. Everyone would still line up to suck them off hoping to sell them their company or get some of their traffic. Desperation is a mutha fucka.
Mike you don't give up do you?
OK here is something for you brotha. Mansef and Manwin are not the same, they changed ownership on paper and did it very cleverly. There is no paper trails anywhere and since you don't know which banks to subpoena you will never be able to connect the dots. Most banks anyway are out of USA and Canada's Jurisdiction so.. Its impossible. If think that using screenshots and old emails regarding who was working before and after at MAN SEF/WIN that will never hold up in court. I suggest you give it up or we will be forced to turn your lights off.
MANWIN right or wrong they are about to change the industry, it’s about survival of the fittest now. NO more junk porn and start up studios that don't know WTF to do. We have swallowed up some big names that where about to die anyway for chump change and now able to work with major banks and have more mainstream appeal. If you think we will sit and do nothing, you will see a swift resolve. Don’t forget we just spent 267 million from our other ventures and reinvested into cleaning MANWIN’s image. Just be happy the cyberlockers have now been shut off and adapt. All of our tubes are now uploading new content we own or licensed.
There is no proof:
Mansef signed secret docs and set up new accounts offshore and created Manwin and used Fabian as a front man
Manwin received funds thru Israel from the lockers to clean funds thru Brazzers and now its new assets
Mansef still owns the 5 biggest cyber lockers and how funds flow form their old accounts to the new ones
Manwin will give a 1 million dollar reward for anyone that has any of the above information, but they must bring it to Fabian directly for the reward to be valid.
Fair enough!
Wow Mike you know got some body buy short hairs in porn indusrty when threatening never work in town again if do not play nice Brazzer Manwin. Gee old lame threat makes Brazzer Manwin look more guilty of what claim there not doing. Here what guy not say reason Brazzer and Manwin have no accounts in USA or Canda is becuase this.
Brazzers Parent Company Mansef Inc. Fighting $6.4 Million Forfeiture Suit
ATLANTA — The parent company of Brazzers has filed a motion to dismiss the forfeiture of $6.4 million the U.S. government is seeking after authorities traced numerous transactions involving the Canadian adult company and third-party credit card processors, including those in Israel.
Brazzers, which is owned by Mansef Inc., set up an Atlanta company last year called Premium Services Inc. to facilitate payments from Mansef’s third-party credit card processors into the accounts and to allow the company to remit funds out of two checking accounts to its U.S. vendors, the company said in court papers filed last week.
But federal authorities claim that Premium Services was not registered with the U.S. Department of Treasury nor with the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance as a money-transmitting business. (Court Filing)
The government noted that Premium Services has no known office building nor employees and operates at a mail drop called The Mail Room.
Federal authorities say in the complaint that Premium Services for three months last year received $9.4 million in wire transfers from various sources and that much of the funds originated overseas in countries considered by law enforcement to be at high risk for money-laundering activity, such as Israel.
In exhibits provided by the government, some of those Israel-based processors transacting business with Premium Services included Paygea Ltd., CAL-International, Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd. and Israel Discount Bank Ltd., whose subsidiary Israel Credit Cards-Cal Ltd. was levied a $13.5 million fine in November by VISA Europe over chargebacks.
U.S. authorities claim that $6.4 million in the two accounts is forfeitable under 18 U.S.C. § 981 (a)(1)(A) as property involved in or traceable to a transaction in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1960, which prohibit’s unlicensed money-transmitting buinesses.
The U.S. Attorneys Office, which is trying the case, was unavailable for comment on Monday due to the President’s Day holiday. But authorities typically rely on the Bank Secrecy Act reports and record-keeping requirements to provide a paper trail, for investigations of financial crimes and illegal activities, including tax evasion, embezzlement and money laundering,
Susan Ross, a Los Angeles litigator who represents Mansef, did not immediately return XBIZ calls on Monday for inquiry.
But in court papers, Mansef and Premium Services claim that the two bank account were at the behest of Mansef.
“Premium is not a money-transmitting business as defined in federal or Georgia state law and so it is not required to be licensed or registered as such,” a motion filed last week said. “There are no allegations, in this or any other forum, that the adult entertainment provided by Mansef is anything other than lawful and legitimate.
“The government bases its entire complaint on the unsupported leap that Premium Services, because it has bank accounts into which it received deposits and from which it made disbursements, is an unlicensed money-transmitting business.”
Soon read story does make wonder why Brazzer Manwin have there bank accounts off shore.
No one finds it unusual that the ONLY file sharing network on the entire internet to work with Fabian's digital finger printing system is the very site that Manwin allegedly owns?
After you own the biggest tubes, it only makes sense to own the largest cyber lockers and torrents. Why would anyone who built an empire based on piracy stop at owning only tubes?
This is one of those times when you have to throw everything else out the window, including press releases saying the opposite, and use common sense.
If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.