‘Girls Gone Wild’ Founder Pleads No Contest; Released

By Heather Chin

http://www.thecelebritycafe.com/features/14563.html (March 12, 2008)

‘Girls Gone Wild’ founder, Joe Francis, agrees to plead guilty in exchange for his freedom – just in time for Spring Break 2008.

The AP reported Wednesday that Joe Francis, the founder of the “Girls Gone Wild” video empire, plead no contest to the remaining charges against him of one count of felony child abuse and two counts of misdemeanor prostitution. In exchange, the terms of his plea agreement release him from Nevada state custody after nearly a year in jail, although he still awaits trial on charges of tax fraud.

Francis, 34, posted $1.5 million bond and returned to Florida, where he has also agreed that his company would not conduct any filming for the next three years – but only between the Florida counties of Escambia and Jackson Counties. The judge also ordered him to pay $60,000 in fines, court costs and restitution to the counties.

Despite this week’s plea, Francis maintains that he is still innocent and that he only “pleaded guilty just to get out of jail.” Additional pleas of no contest were made by him on behalf of his company, Mantra Films, on two counts of child abuse.

The “Girls Gone Wild” empire is built upon filming topless or scantily clad young women in sexually provocative positions while they are drunk, and Francis makes around $29 million a year in this endeavor.

In 2003, Francis’s company filmed underage women who had signed agreements stating that they were of legal age. His hotel rooms and corporate jets were raided, and in 2007, contraband of sleeping pills and cash were found by Bay County officials – those charges had guilty pleas entered, as well.

Whatever misfortunes he encounters, though, Joe Francis is determined to continue his life and business as usual. “I’m going to go back to making videos this afternoon,” he said.