Ireland Case No. 0187Sexual abuse, breach of privacy, GDPR breach · Co. Dublin
High Court adjourns sexual abuse and privacy case in Dublin
A woman known as Jane Doe claims she was drugged and raped by a man when she was 16, and that the abuser recorded the abuse and posted the images on adult video-sharing websites including Pornhub. She discovered the videos in 2020 and filed a US class action in the Northern District of Alabama in February 2021 against companies in the MindGeek, now AYLO, group. She brought parallel proceedings in the Irish High Court in Dublin in October 2023, seeking damages for breach of privacy and GDPR violations. In October 2026, Mr Justice Brian Cregan adjourned the Irish case to March 2027 pending US court approval of a US$120 million class action settlement.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court26 Oct
4 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Jane Doe claims she was drugged and raped by a man when she was 16, and that the abuser recorded the abuse and posted the images online.
- Where
- The abuse allegedly took place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and the videos were published on adult video-sharing websites including Pornhub.
- When
- Jane Doe discovered the videos in 2020 and filed a US class action in the Northern District of Alabama in February 2021.
- Charges
- She seeks aggravated and exemplary damages for breach of duty, GDPR breaches, conspiracy, and right to privacy in both the US and Irish proceedings.
- In court
- Parallel proceedings were brought in the Irish High Court in Dublin in October 2023, with Mr Justice Mark Sanfey granting an anonymity order.
- The Irish defendants include AYLO Billing, Mirmay, Nutaku Publishing, Appatomic, and Liquidum at The Black Church, St Mary's Place, Dublin.
- In October 2026, Mr Justice Brian Cregan adjourned the Irish case to March 2027 pending US court approval of a US$120 million class action settlement.
- Other details
- The US defendants agreed to settle the class action for US$120 million and to make substantial changes to their sites to protect children.
- In December 2023, Aylo Holdings entered a deferred prosecution agreement over receiving proceeds from sex trafficking between 2017 and 2019.
- The woman's allegations of wrongdoing by the group have been denied.
48 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe woman claims she was drugged and raped by a man when she was a minor. (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whatShe claims her abuser recorded the abuse and posted the images online. (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whatJane Doe was 16 when a man filmed a sexually explicit video of her. (thejournal.ie)
- whatShe claims the same man drugged and raped her in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in a second incident that was also filmed. (thejournal.ie)
- whatBoth videos were uploaded to Pornhub, where she discovered them in 2020. (thejournal.ie)
- whatShe claims she was drugged and raped by a man when she was a minor (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHer abuser recorded the abuse and posted the images online (irishmirror.ie)
- whatVideos of her abuse were published on adult video sharing websites owned by the MindGeek (now AYLO) group including PornHub (irishmirror.ie)
- whatIt is alleged that videos of the abuse were published on adult video-sharing websites owned by the group that owns Pornhub. (irishtimes.com)
- whereVideos of her abuse were allegedly published on adult video-sharing websites owned by an international group of companies. (thejournal.ie)
- whenShe took legal action in February 2021 in the northern district of Alabama. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeShe seeks damages, including aggravated and exemplary damages, for alleged breach of duty, breaches of GDPR, conspiracy and her right to privacy. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe woman seeks aggravated and exemplary damages for breach of duty, GDPR breaches, conspiracy and right to privacy (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe woman has brought proceedings before the US courts against various parties in the MindGeek group. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe woman wants to bring parallel proceedings before the Irish courts. (thejournal.ie)
- courtShe seeks an order directing the defendants to identify and remove images of child sexual abuse and identify users who uploaded them. (thejournal.ie)
- courtShe intends to seek an order to preserve the defendants' assets and cash reserves in Ireland below US$630m (€598 million). (thejournal.ie)
- courtA preliminary application was heard before Mr Justice Mark Sanfey at the High Court. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe judge granted an anonymity order and allowed the woman to proceed under the pseudonym 'Jane Doe'. (thejournal.ie)
- courtShe and another plaintiff launched a class action lawsuit against companies associated with MindGeek. (thejournal.ie)
- courtTwo of the defendant companies in the US case were Irish-incorporated. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe Irish proceedings were adjourned pending a proposed $120 million settlement of the US litigation. (thejournal.ie)
- courtIn December 2023, Aylo Holdings entered a deferred prosecution agreement over receiving proceeds from sex trafficking. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe High Court case was adjourned for six months (irishmirror.ie)
- courtA class action was brought in US courts against parties within the MindGeek/AYLO group (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe US settlement is subject to court approval in the Northern District of Alabama (irishmirror.ie)
- courtMr Justice Brian Cregan adjourned the Irish case to March (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe case is before the High Court in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- courtShe seeks aggravated and exemplary damages, and orders relating to GDPR, conspiracy and privacy breaches, in the Irish proceedings. (irishtimes.com)
- courtHer barrister sought an adjournment to allow approval of the $120 million US settlement. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceJudge Brian Cregan adjourned the case to March. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe court heard that the woman fears for her safety if her identity is made public. (thejournal.ie)
- otherMindGeek rebranded as Aylo in August 2023 after its acquisition by Ethical Capital Partners. (thejournal.ie)
- otherBefore a major purge in December 2020, Pornhub reportedly hosted around 13.5 million videos. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe US DOJ said the company received money between 2017 and 2019 that it knew or should have known came from sex trafficking. (thejournal.ie)
- otherModelhub offered creators 65% of custom-video sales after an introductory promotion. (thejournal.ie)
- otherIn December 2024, US District Judge L Scott Coogler described an employee exchange about a detection tool that had unearthed a video of abuse that had remained online for years. (thejournal.ie)
- otherA moderator said their team was focused on speed, numbers and multitasking which was not effective. (thejournal.ie)
- otherA moderator said they were understaffed and receiving less personnel than needed. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe woman lives in the US and is known as 'Jane Doe' to protect her identity (irishmirror.ie)
- otherIrish defendants include AYLO Billing, Mirmay, Nutaku Publishing, Appatomic, and Liquidum at The Black Church, St Mary's Place, Dublin (irishmirror.ie)
- otherOther defendants include MG Freesites Ltd, MG Freesites II Ltd, AYLO Premium Ltd, MG Social Ltd, MG CY Holdings Ltd (Cyprus), Mindgeek USA Incorporated (California), and Mindgeek SARL (Luxembourg) (irishmirror.ie)
- otherShe seeks an order to identify and remove images of child sexual abuse and the identities of users who uploaded them (irishmirror.ie)
- otherShe seeks an order to preserve all assets and cash reserves in Ireland below US$630m (irishmirror.ie)
- otherUS defendants agreed to settle the class action for US$120 million (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMindgeek agreed to injunctive relief to make substantial changes to its sites to protect children (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe woman's allegations of wrongdoing by the group have been denied. (irishtimes.com)
- otherIn the US, the defendants recently agreed to settle a class action and pay $120 million. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 7 Oct2026Woman claims videos of her abuse appeared on adult sites linked to Pornhub, court hears
Reports the adjournment of the High Court civil case to March 2027 pending US court approval of a $120 million class action settlement, and details the Irish defendants and the relief sought.
victim, Jane Doe, femaleJane Doesuspect, male - 7 Oct2026Irish court hears of €105m settlement for 'Jane Doe' who took on adult websites
Reports the adjournment of the Irish High Court proceedings to March 2027 pending US court approval of the US$120m class action settlement, and details the Irish defendants and the relief sought.
victim, Jane Doe, femaleJane Doesuspect, male - 1 Oct2026Pornhub abuse: The emails and allegations behind a woman's legal battle in Ireland's High Court
Provides detailed background on the case including the US class action filed in February 2021, the corporate structure of MindGeek/AYLO, internal emails revealing moderation practices, the December 2023 deferred prosecution agreement, and the adjournment of Irish High Court proceedings pending a proposed $120 million US settlement.
victim, Jane Doe, female, non-irish (judged from name)Jane Doesuspect, male - 26 Oct2023American woman who claims abuse videos of her appeared on porn websites seeks damages in Irish court
Reports the Irish High Court preliminary application before Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, the grant of anonymity under the name 'Jane Doe', the parallel US proceedings, the Irish defendants and the orders sought, including preservation of assets below US$630m.
victim, Jane Doe, femaleJane Doesuspect