The Rise and Fall of New Times Founders, Michael Lacey and James Larkin

Michael Lacey and James Larkin

Phoenix, AZ— When I moved to Arizona, I came across an interesting free newspaper—an alternative publication filled  with articles by incredibly talented writers. The paper offered long-form articles that you just don’t see in the daily newspapers across the country. The New Times had no hesitation when it came to exposing government waste, fraud, and corruption. Sadly, today’s media offers very little in terms of criticism aimed at the government, perhaps because journalists fear becoming victims of political retaliation.

The New Times was founded by Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin. While I don’t know much about Larkin, Lacey was a highly regarded journalist with a significant public profile.

Together, the duo expanded their New Times brand, creating numerous publications in various cities. These papers have won countless awards for their outstanding journalism.

During this time, newspapers across the country failed to notice the growing competition from Craigslist. But they certainly noticed when their advertising revenue started shifting to the new online platform. In response, the New Times began accepting ads from massage parlors, escorts, and others selling sexually suggestive services. 

Lacey and Larkin made hundreds of millions of dollars from the ads on their Backpage.com. Not bad for a free publication.

The federal government eventually went after Lacey and Larkin, not because of the ads themselves, but due to the illegal activities of those placing them—pimps, human traffickers, and desperate individuals, including women forced into prostitution to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads.

Historically, humans have always found ways to profit from sexual services, including child trafficking. I don't believe Backpage did anything illegal, but that didn’t stop authorities from arresting Lacey and Larkin and charging them with a mountain of criminal offenses. They were forced to wear ankle monitors throughout the lengthy pre-trial period. When the case finally went to trial, the jury failed to reach a verdict, resulting in a mistrial. The government wasted no time in seeking a retrial.

As their attorneys prepared for the retrial, Jim Larkin tragically took his own life, seemingly overwhelmed by the ordeal. When the case returned to court, the new jury only reached a verdict on one count of money laundering. Successful companies often hire accountants to creatively handle their finances, particularly to minimize tax liability. Was this guilty verdict merely a compromise to satisfy the prosecutors’ efforts?

Lacey was ultimately sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay a $3 million fine. Meanwhile, most of the sex-related charges could potentially be retried for a third time, dragging this costly case through yet another chapter of a taxpayer-funded legal Odyssey.  

Lacey, now 76 years old, which coincidentally is the average life expectancy for American males. He’s been ordered to report to prison this month, and if the government moves forward with a third trial, he’ll be dragged out of prison to face it. At this point, another trial seems as pointless as beating a dead horse.