Manhunt starts for Sex.com snatcher

$50K reward puts high price on head

By Tim Richardson • Get more from this author

Posted in e-Business, 31st May 2001 09:38 GMT

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The owner of Sex.com is offering a $50,000 (£35,000) reward for information leading to the arrest of the man who stole the saucy domain from him.

Gary Kremen, the lawful owner of Sex.com, wants the public to help him catch domain snatcher, Stephen Michael Cohen.

While he appreciates that some people may not wish to help because of their views on pornography, Kremen believes there is a higher principle at stake

He wants to see that justice is done.

Said Kremen: "I want to see to it that this doesn't happen to anyone again.

"I'll gladly pay out anyone per the legal terms and conditions, if it means putting the man who stole millions from me behind bars once and for all."

Kremen originally registered Sex.com in 1994 but it was stolen a year later by Cohen after he used forged documents.

In November 2000, after a five-year legal dispute, a US judge ruled that Cohen had obtained the domain illegally and ordered him to hand it back to Kremen.

In April this year, the same judge awarded Kremen $65 million in damages and lost revenue, although the chances of him getting his cash are slim.

Cohen has failed to turn up to a number of court hearings and has gone into hiding. He is believed to be living outside the US living off his ill-gotten gains.

That's where the reward comes in.

Any bounty hunters out there keen to track this guy down should check out the "rules" here. ®