Joe Francis

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Joe Francis
Francis at his 33rd birthday party at Magic Mountain
Born	Joseph R. Francis April 1, 1973 (1973-04-01) (age 35)
Occupation	Producer

Joseph R. "Joe" Francis, born April 1, 1973,^[1] to Raymond and Maria Francis,^[2] is the founder of Mantra Films, Inc., which produces the Girls Gone Wild and Guys Gone Wild DVD series.

[edit] Early life and education

Francis grew up in Laguna Beach, California, USA.^[3] He has three sisters; Babette Francis, two years older; Caroline Francis, a year and a half younger; and Christina Francis, 10 years younger.^[2]

Francis attended and was expelled from Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic School among others.^[2] He graduated from the University of Southern California in 1995 with a degree in Business Administration. He also completed USC’s Entrepreneur Program.^[4]

[edit] Beginning of a brand

Joe Francis attending the second issue release of "Girls Gone Wild Magazine" Party at Les Deux, Hollywood, June 4, 2008

Joe Francis first video sold through infomercials was a series of private clips and news footage deletions of fatal accidents which were considered too graphic for broadcast. Banned From Television was considered a commercial success and it spawned other sequels. One of the videos which Francis had licensed contained footage of female college students flashing their breasts during Mardi Gras and Spring Break. Seeing the marketing appeal, he titled that footage Girls Gone Wild (GGW). He eventually stopped licensing the materials and began producing it himself.

In 1997, at the age of 24, Francis founded Mantra Films, Inc.^[5] Building on the discovered premise that he could film college-age women "going wild," including baring their breasts for the cameras at spring breaks and other locales, Mantra has become a company with over 400 employees and has recorded sales in excess of $100 million per year.^[6][7] Mantra also spun off the Guys Gone Wild DVD series

In the world of pop culture, Francis' Girls Gone Wild is regularly referenced in today’s society and pop culture atmosphere and was recently cited as an example of "sexualization," number 23 on USA Today's list of the "25 Trends that Changed America".^[8]

[edit] Controversies

As a public figure, Francis has attracted his share of controversies, including allegations of conspiracy to use minors in sexual performances, and allegations in the Los Angeles Times of violence towards women. In a well-publicized case, Francis was kidnapped from his Bel Air home by an assailant who also tried to blackmail Francis.^[9] The assailant received a 10-year sentence.^[9]

Francis is often criticized by social commentators and third wave feminists for perpetuating what some consider "the new double standard," which equates the objectification of women with sexual liberation.^[10]

Mantra films has come under legal attack on a number of occasions. Recurring allegations include that women engaged in sexual activity were used without the consent of the women, that Mantra films engaged in sexual exploitation of minors and that incomplete records were kept of participants in GGW videos.^[11][12] Today the videos contribute to a total sales figure of almost $100 million per year for Mantra Films, Inc.^[3]

Joe Francis has also received some criticism for comparing himself to Jesus.^{[13] [14]}

[edit] Legal problems

Francis has been a party to several lawsuits. Some stem from activities during the filming of videos and others from the company's practices.

[edit] Civil

In 2002, Becky Lynn Gritzke discovered that she had been covertly filmed flashing her breasts at a Mardi Gras festival and that the image had been used without her permission on billboards advertising Girls' Gone Wild videos and on the cover of a video. She sued Mantra Films and settled for an undisclosed sum under an agreement according to which GGW agreed to cease distributing all material bearing Gritzke's image.^[15]

In June 2007, Francis and Mantra Films became the subject of another lawsuit claiming that images had been used without the subject's permission.^[16] The suit was subsequently dropped after Francis released footage showing the subjects agreeing to be filmed.^[17]

[edit] 2003 arrest

In an incident at Panama City Beach, Florida, during spring break 2003, Francis was arrested and then released on $165,000 bond. He was initially charged with 71 separate counts, including racketeering, drug trafficking, and child pornography. Police confiscated his private jet and other property.^[18] At a July 27, 2006 hearing, the judge threw out 200 hours of videotape and hundreds of other key pieces of evidence in the case.^[19] On January 4, 2007, the judge dismissed almost all of the charges^[20] stemming from the Panama City case^[21] claiming that "the evidence did not support the allegations," and the seized assets were returned. On March 12, 2008 Francis was convicted on child abuse and prostitution charges after pleading no contest in a plea bargain. He also pleaded guilty to charges related to having contraband in his cell during the time he was held in jail. Francis was sentenced to time served (339 days) and more than $60,000 in fines and costs.^[22]

[edit] Charges in Florida

The Associated Press (AP) reported that on Thursday, April 12, 2007, Francis was accused of bribery, possession of a controlled substance, and introducing contraband (cash and drugs) into the Panama City, Florida jail. The AP reported that Francis (in jail for contempt of court) offered a guard one hundred, and then five hundred dollars, for a bottled water. Jailers allegedly found drugs including Lunesta and lorazepam in the jail cell. Francis reportedly faced up to five years in prison if convicted on these charges.^[23] After subsequent investigation, Francis was charged with possession of contraband [1]. A psychiatrist hired by Francis' defense team stated in his report that Francis demonstrates "significant psychiatric issues" and did "express a potential for suicidal activity if his incarceration is prolonged."^[24] In March 2008, the contraband charges were dismissed.

On March 25, 2008, four women filed suit against him in Florida for filming them while underage, with one girl claiming she was age 13 when filmed.^[25]

[edit] Federal criminal tax problems

On April 11, 2007, Francis was indicted by a federal grand jury in Reno, Nevada on two counts of tax evasion^[26][27] under 26 U.S.C. § 7201^[28]

Francis is charged with filing a fraudulent corporate tax return for a company for which Francis allegedly is the sole shareholder. The United States Department of Justice asserts that Francis claimed over $20 million in false business deductions.^[29]

The Los Angeles Times has quoted his attorney, Jan L. Handzlik, as saying: "The government has chosen to make a criminal case out of what we believe to be, at most, a civil tax dispute...."^[26] A trial date was set and subsequently vacated in the case: a new trial date has not been set as of May, 2008.^[30][31].

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Mantra Films, Inc.
• Joe Francis at the Internet Movie Database
• 'Girls Gone Wild' guru:I'm just like Jesus