Fabian Thylmann

Fabian Thylmann (born 5 June 1978 in Aachen, Germany) was the owner of some of the world’s most heavily used pornography websites, via his company Manwin, which has its headquarters in Luxembourg and offices in Hamburg, London, Los Angeles, Nicosia, and Montreal.^[1] Combined, his sites generate sixteen billion hits per month, and consequently are among the most popular websites on the planet.^{[citation needed]}

Little is known of the reclusive Thylmann, other than he was born in 1978, is German, lives in Belgium, is married with two children, and is a computer programmer. His breakthrough came in the late 1990s when he developed software called NATS (Next-generation Affiliate Tracking Software), which linked up the vast number of internet pornography sites for the first time and enabled visitors to select sex films according to personal preference.^[2]

He has only given one press interview ever, to the German edition of the Financial Times at a pornography trade fair in Las Vegas in 2011, which described him as 'The King of Porn'. At the time he welcomed the chance to "clear up rumours" and "dispel conspiracy theories" about his identity. "NATS was very easy to use and could do what the others couldn't. Our objective is actually rather banal, we want to create as many opportunities as possible for people to spend money." He has not spoken publicly since.

Germany's Focus magazine claimed that he has revolutionised the business of pornography consumption by allowing the free viewing of pornographic video clips, while being paid for advertising pay-for-view pornographic sites. His success has led to claims that he has crippled the traditional porn industry.

In December 2012, he was extradited from Belgium to Germany on suspicion of tax evasion on the estimated £60 million annual profits his company allegedly makes. Thylmann did not contest the extradition order.^[3]

It was reported in October 2013 that Thylmann had stepped down and sold his company Manwin for €73 million. The reason for selling the company remains undisclosed.^[4]

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