Former Phoenix New Times editor, others face 2nd Backpage trial this week
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Jackie Hai/KJZZ
Authorities say Backpage.com generated $500 million in prostitution-related revenue from its inception in 2004 until April 2018 when it was shut down by the government.
A trial in which the people behind Backpage are accused of facilitating prostitution, among other charges, is set to get underway Tuesday in Phoenix.
Former Phoenix New Times editor Michael Lacey and others rejected plea deals recently. The trial comes shortly after Lacey’s business partner Jim Larkin died by suicide.
In total, the defendants are charged with almost 100 counts — half of them deal with facilitating prostitution, while another several deal with money laundering.
Reporter Richard Ruelas with the Arizona Republic has been covering this case, and joined The Show to talk about it.
