Joe Francis Sentenced to Probation for Corporate Recordkeeping Violations

Joe Francis Sentenced to Probation for Corporate Recordkeeping Violations

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Joe Francis, founder of the wildly successful Girls Gone Wild franchise, was sentenced to probation and a fine of $250,000 for each of two recordkeeping offenses that occurred in 2002. As the Chief Executive Officer and custodian of records for Mantra Films, the company that produces Girls Gone Wild, Mr. Francis agreed to accept responsibility for these two administrative violations.

"These are simply recordkeeping violations of a large corporation with almost 400 employees. Mr. Francis obviously wasn't involved in every detail of running such a widespread corporate enterprise, but as the CEO Mr. Francis took responsibility for its recordkeeping mistakes," said Ronn Torossian a spokesperson for Mr. Francis. "It's also important to note that despite certain media misreports, there are not any allegations of intentional filming of under-aged girls as had been previously falsely reported." The company recognizes the importance of its legal obligations and intends to continue to follow the letter of the law to verify IDs and maintain ID records of participants, and to make sure that all video products distributed contain proper labeling."

Mantra Films previously pled guilty in the same matter last September and in December was sentenced to the video labeling and recordkeeping charges in Panama City Florida. Mr. Francis was charged and sentenced in Los Angeles, California, where the company is located, where the records are kept, and where Mr. Francis resides.

For more information, please contact Jules Feiler at 212-584-4284 or jfeiler@5wpr.com.

PRESS CONTACT:
Ronn Torossian/Jules Feiler
5W Public Relations
212-999-5585

Source: Girls Gone Wild

CONTACT: Press, Jules Feiler, +1-212-584-4284, jfeiler@5wpr.com, or Ronn
Torossian, +1-212-999-5585, both of 5W Public Relations, for Girls Gone Wild

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