{{Short description|Social networking website for sex workers hat connected male sex workers}} {{advert|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox website | name = rentboy.com | screenshot = Rentboy.com welcome.jpg | launch_date = {{start date and age|1996|1|18}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reports.internic.net/cgi/whois?whois_nic=rentboy.com&type=domain |title=Home|website=Reports.internic.net |access-date=2016-11-21}}</ref> | current_status = Not operational }} [[File:Kitkatclub.jpg|thumb|right|Hustlaball in KitKatClub, Berlin]]
'''Rentboy.com''' was a commercial social networking site that connected male sex workers and masseurs with potential clients. Rentboy.com was also the major organizer of the International Escort Awards and a traveling cabaret called "Hustlaball."
At one time Rentboy.com had published a manifesto on their website intended for sex workers and clients. This statement promoted a philosophy of "safer sex because the vast majority of sex-workers will not engage in unsafe sex." It stated, "while this job may not be for everyone, it has its rightful place among honorable careers."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://washeduppornstar.wordpress.com/2008/02/11/rentboy-com-manifesto/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100425022419/http://washeduppornstar.wordpress.com/2008/02/11/rentboy-com-manifesto/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2010-04-25 |title=RentBoy.com Manifesto |date=2010-03-23 |access-date=2010-05-04 }}</ref> On August 25, 2015, CEO Jeffrey Hurant - also known as "Jeffrey Davids"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Divito |first=Nick |date=January 27, 2016 |title=Ex-Rentboy CEO Indicted on Prostitution Charge |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/ex-rentboy-ceo-indicted-on-prostitution-charge/}}</ref> - and six others were arrested at Rentboy.com headquarters and charged with conspiring to violate the Travel Act by promoting prostitution.
==Company profile== In 1997, Jeffrey Hurrant started Rentboy.com, the first male escorting website.<ref name="outinterview">{{cite journal |year=2010 |title=Jeff Davids and Sean Van Sant |url=http://www.out.com/exclusives.asp?id=26631 |journal=Out |publisher=Here Media Inc.}}</ref> From its founding, Hurant served as CEO and Sean Van Sant served as company director. The company was headquartered in Manhattan.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pompeo |first=Joe |date=2009-01-27 |title=The Hipster Rent Boys Of New York |newspaper=The New York Observer |url=https://observer.com/2009/01/the-hipster-rent-boys-of-new-york/}}</ref> According to Van Sant,<blockquote>"Rentboy.com is not an escort agency. We are an ad listing service for male escorts, where men place their own ads and work for themselves, so that clients can contact them directly. Our mission is to create a non-judgmental space where anyone curious about exploring male-male companionship can hire a man by the hour."<ref name="rekers">{{cite web |url=http://www.rentboy.com/dnn/Home/tabid/39/EntryId/46/Rentboy-com-Statement-About-this-Weeks-Events.aspx |title=Rentboy.com Statement About this Week's Events |last1=Van Sant |first1=Sean |date=2010-05-08 |work=rentboy.com |access-date=2010-05-10}}</ref></blockquote>{{As of|2009|June}}, Rentboy.com was employing 10 people in three offices and hosted 40,000 escort profiles.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Queer Issue: The Rise of Rentboys |first=Steve |last=Weinstein |newspaper=The Village Voice |date=2009-06-24 |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-06-24/news/pride-2009-the-rise-of-rentboys/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090627110441/http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-06-24/news/pride-2009-the-rise-of-rentboys|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 27, 2009}}</ref> In 2009, 1.4 million clients visited the website.<ref name="pimpmyparty">{{cite journal |last1=Solomon |first1=Benjamin |year=2000 |title=Pimp my Party |journal=NEXT |publisher=RND Publications |volume=2009 |issue=October |page=24 |url=http://www.rentboy.com/Events/eventsPressAdArchives/NextMagazine__October-2008.jpg }}</ref>
On August 25, 2015, Federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security and members of the New York Police Department raided Rentboy.com's headquarters.<ref name="Dienst_NBC">{{cite news|last1=Dienst|first1=Jonathan|title=Feds Take Down Rentboy.com, 'World's Largest Male Escort Site,' in Manhattan; 7 Arrested|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/29/opinion/homeland-securitys-peculiar-prosecution-of-rentboy.html|website=WNBC-TV|publisher=2015 NBCUniversal Media, LLC|access-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>
==Sponsorships== Rentboy.com sponsored its own float every year in the New York City Gay Pride March.<ref name="weise"/>
===International Escort Awards=== The International Escort Awards, also known as the "Hookies," were founded by Rentboy.com's Jeff Hurant and Sean Van Sant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.queerty.com/gay-escorts-are-heroes-saving-the-globe-from-an-international-recession-and-boredom-20100323/ |title=Gay Escorts Are Heroes, Saving The Globe From an International Recession (and Boredom)|date=2010-03-23|publisher=Queerty.com|access-date=2010-05-04}}</ref> The first ceremony was held at the Roxy in New York City in October 2006.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Weise|first1=Tom|title=LOOKING BACK 10 Years of Rentboy.com|journal=Just Us Boys|publisher=JUB Media, Ltd.|volume=2007 |issue=May |url=http://www.rentboy.com/Events/eventsPressAdArchives/JustUsBoys__May-2007-%283%29.jpg }}</ref>
===Hustlaball=== Hustlaball was a sex cabaret and dance party organized in part by rentboy.com<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hustlaball.com/Press.aspx|title=Hustlaball Press Kit|publisher=hustlaball.com|access-date=2010-05-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427044959/http://www.hustlaball.com/Press.aspx|archive-date=2010-04-27}}</ref> intended to destigmatize and honor sex workers.<ref name="pimpmyparty"/> Starting in 2007, Rentboy.com hosted Hustlaball three times each year, with a Las Vegas show in January, a London show in May, and a Berlin show in October.<ref name="weise">{{cite journal |year=2007 |title=Promoter Spotlight:Tom Weise |journal=Noizemag |publisher=Noize Magazine, LLC |volume=2007 |issue=August |pages=42–44 |url=http://www.rentboy.com/Events/eventsPressAdArchives/CircuitNoize__August-2007.jpg }}</ref> Part of the proceeds from this event went to charities such as the [http://www.lambethlgbtforum.org.uk Lambeth Hate Crime Initiative] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100416085525/http://www.lambethlgbtforum.org.uk/ |date=2010-04-16 }}, the Terrence Higgins Trust, and the Gay Men's Health Crisis.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hustlaball.com/Charity.aspx |title=HUSTLABALL – Charities & Benefits |publisher=hustlaball.com |access-date=2010-05-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |year=2008 |title=FEELITOUT |journal=NEXT |publisher=RND Publications |volume=2008 |issue=October |page=24 |url=http://www.rentboy.com/Events/eventsPressAdArchives/NextMagazine__October-2008.jpg }}</ref>
====History==== Founder Jeffrey Hurant said of Hustlaball, "This is a chance for sex workers to be open and proud of what they do."<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Greenfield|first1=Beth|year=2008|title=journal article|journal=Time Out|volume=2008|issue=October 9|url=http://www.rentboy.com/Events/eventsPressAdArchives/timeout_nyc_oct_9.jpg }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan="5" style="background:#cee;"| Summary of Hustlaball Events |- ! year ! location ! venue ! publicized attendees ! notes |- | 1998 | Midtown Manhattan, New York City | Stella's Nightclub | | founding of event<ref name="pimpmyparty"/> |- | 1999 | New York City | Lure Nightclub | | <ref name="halloffame">{{cite press release |title=Hustlaball Hall of Fame |url=http://www.rentboy.com/Events/eventsPressAdArchives/hustlaball_nyc_2009_program_04-5.jpg |publisher=Rentboy.com |year=2009 |access-date=2010-05-29}}</ref> |- | 2000 | San Francisco, Chicago | Pleasuredome, San Francisco | | <ref name="halloffame"/> |- | 2001 | New York City | | | changed name from "Hustler Ball" to "Hustlaball" because of a lawsuit initiated by Larry Flynt due to similarity of name to Hustler Magazine<ref name="pimpmyparty"/><ref name="halloffame"/> |- | 2002 | New York City, West Hollywood (Los Angeles) | Factory nightclub, Los Angeles | Christopher Ciccone | <ref name="halloffame"/> |- | 2003 | Berlin | KitKatClub, Berlin | | first time outside US<ref name="halloffame"/> [http://www.hustlaball.de/ Hustlaball in Berlin] |- | 2004 | Berlin | KitKatClub, Berlin | | attendance doubled from previous year<ref name="halloffame"/> [http://www.hustlaball.de/ Hustlaball in Berlin] |- | 2005 | Berlin, Las Vegas | KitKatClub, Berlin | Gioia Bruno, Chi Chi LaRue, Lady Bunny, Matthew Rush, Jeff Stryker, Michael Lucas | held in conjunction with AVN Award Ceremony<ref name="halloffame"/> [http://www.hustlaball.de/ Hustlaball in Berlin] |- | 2006 | Berlin, Las Vegas | KitKatClub, Berlin | Ari Gold, Marc Almond | show professionally video recorded and released<ref name="halloffame"/> [http://www.hustlaball.de/ Hustlaball in Berlin] |- | 2007 | Berlin, New York City, Las Vegas | KitKatClub, Berlin | Britney Spears | <ref name="halloffame"/> [http://www.hustlaball.de/ Hustlaball in Berlin] |- | 2008 | Berlin, London, Las Vegas | KitKatClub, Berlin | Willam Belli, Jonny McGovern | <ref name="halloffame"/> [http://www.hustlaball.de/ Hustlaball in Berlin] |- | 2009 | Berlin, London, New York City | The Old Mint (Münze), Berlin | | <ref name="halloffame"/> [http://www.hustlaball.de/ Hustlaball in Berlin] |- | 2010 | Berlin | KitKatClub, Berlin | | [http://www.hustlaball.de/ Hustlaball in Berlin] |- | 2011 | Berlin | KitKatClub, Berlin | | [http://www.hustlaball.de/ Hustlaball in Berlin] |- | 2014 | Berlin, New York City, Las Vegas | KitKatClub, Berlin |- | 2015 | Berlin, New York City, Las Vegas | KitKatClub, Berlin | Britney Spears |- | 2016 | Berlin, Las Vegas | KitKatClub, Berlin |}
==Federal and state investigation== On August 25, 2015, DHS and NYPD agents raided the Manhattan headquarters of Rentboy.com as part of a money laundering and state prostitution investigation. Seven people, including CEO Jeffrey Davids, were arrested.<ref name="Dienst_NBC"/> "As alleged, Rentboy.com attempted to present a veneer of legality, when in fact this Internet brothel made millions of dollars from the promotion of illegal prostitution," acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Kelly Currie said in a statement. DHS was involved in the raid in part because the investigation involved transferring money across state lines. The seven defendants were charged with conspiring to violate the Travel Act by promoting prostitution.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iwpchi.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=2742|title=US_v_Hurant_et_al_Rentboy_complaint_18aug2015 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date= 18 August 2015|website=iwpchi.wordpress.com|publisher=Independent Workers Party of Chicago|access-date=6 September 2015}}</ref>
On October 7, 2016, ex-CEO Hurant pleaded guilty in federal court of promoting prostitution. In August 2017 Hurant was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/nyregion/rentboy-jeffrey-hurant-sentence-sex-work.html |title=Owner of Rentboy.com Is Sentenced to 6 Months in Prison - The New York Times |work=The New York Times |date=2017-08-02 |accessdate=2022-08-05}}</ref> While the case had prompted allegations of anti-gay bias, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stated that "any insinuation that a specific population was targeted is categorically false."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rentboy-com-ceo-pleads-guilty-155414069.html |title=Rentboy.com CEO pleads guilty to promoting prostitution|access-date=2016-10-07}}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|Prostitution}} * George Alan Rekers
==References== {{reflist|35em}}
==External links== * [https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20070310231346/http://www.rentboy.com/ rentboy.com]
Category:Internet properties established in 1996 Category:Male prostitution Category:Sex worker organizations based in the United States Category:American social networking websites Category:Defunct social networking services