Guide Note
On April 11, 2007, Joe Francis was indicted on two counts of tax evasion. The legally embattled producer of the controversial Girls Gone Wild franchise is said to have claimed over $20 million in false business deductions on his 2002 and 2003 tax returns. Francis remains imprisoned in a Nevada as he awaits and August, 2008, trial for federal tax evasion. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison.
Fast Facts
- Born: April 1, 1973
- Real name: Jonah Frankel
- Grew up: Laguna Beach, California
- Alma mater: University of Southern California (1995)
- Degree in Business Administration
- Completed USC’s Entrepreneur Program
- Founder of Mantra Films
- Producer of Girls Gone Wild adult DVDs
- U.S. Department of Justice has accused Francis of claiming $20 million in false tax deductions
- Faces 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine
Florida Charges
On March 10, 2008, Francis was released on bail from a Nevada prison so that he could travel to Florida to face charges unrelated to his tax indictment. Francis traveled to Florida to serve jail time for an incident in which he was found in contempt of court during negotiations of a civil law suit related to Francis' filming of underage girls in [2003]].
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