In 1997, Joe Francis launched Girls Gone Wild, building a controversial multimillion-dollar empire that shaped (and polarized) pop culture in unexpected ways.
The Atlanta native first got the idea to create a provocative video series featuring young women partying and baring it all during spring break while working as a production assistant on Real TV after college. This concept laid the foundation for Girls Gone Wild, the infamous adult entertainment franchise that quickly became a cultural phenomenon.
Over the years, Francis faced a string of legal troubles, including allegations of tax evasion (per Forbes), sexual misconduct and disputes over defamation, according to the The Hollywood Reporter. Despite numerous lawsuits — some dismissed, others settled — his legal troubles culminated in May 2013, when he was sentenced to 270 days in jail for a 2011 incident involving three charges: false imprisonment, assault causing great bodily injury, and dissuading a witness, according to NBC News.
In his personal life, Francis entered a long-term relationship with model Abbey Wilson in 2012. The couple welcomed twin daughters, Athena and Alexandria, in 2014. However, their relationship eventually ended, leading to a contentious (and ongoing) separation between him and his kids. Francis currently resides in Mexico, where he remains to avoid returning to the U.S. due to outstanding legal issues.
On Dec. 3, Peacock released Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story, a behind-the-scenes docuseries featuring interviews with former employees, critics, survivors and Francis himself. The series explores the rise and fall of the multimillion-dollar franchise and its controversial founder. Reflecting on the “lasting impact” of his company, Francis claimed that Girls Gone Wild “loosened everything up.”
“I think it just made for a so much more fun generation,” he said. “It did so much more for society, for life.”
So, where is Joe Francis today? Here’s everything to know about the Girls Gone Wild founder’s life before and after going to prison.
Who is Joe Francis?
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Joe Francis arrives at the Planet Dailies And Mixology 101 Grand Opening held at Planet Dailies & Mixology 101 on April 5, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.
Francis is the founder of Girls Gone Wild, a multimillion-dollar media empire notorious for its provocative entertainment.
Born on April 1, 1973, in Atlanta, he moved with his family to Newport Beach, Calif., at age 7. According to his personal website, his early life was marked by a string of expulsions from strict schools, including a Catholic school, a Connecticut boarding school, a military school and a reform school, before he finally settled into public education. He went on to attend the University of Southern California.
Francis got the idea for Girls Gone Wild while working as a production assistant for Real TV, a syndicated TV show that highlighted footage from various sources of events not covered in mainstream media.
Girls Gone Wild eventually expanded into a growing franchise of infomercials, DVDs, pay-per-view events, a magazine, a tour bus and apparel, but was also met with plenty of scandals.
What was Joe Francis arrested for?
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Joe Francis confers with trial litigators for his felony tax evasion case at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and CourtHouse, after his arraignment on Monday, July 21, 2007.
Francis was first charged with over 70 counts of racketeering, drug trafficking, prostitution and promoting the sexual performance of children after a 2003 Panama City trip, according to The New York Times. Judges dismissed all of the counts except six, and the founder and his production crew faced the charge related to child prostitution and child pornography after filming minors, though they were released after posting a $50,000 bond.
However, he would end up back in a Florida jail after lawyers claimed he was verbally abusive in negotiations while mediating a civil suit brought on by two of the women filmed during the Panama City trip, per The New York Times. According to the outlet, he eventually settled the lawsuit but was met with charges for introducing contraband into a detention facility during his time in the Florida prison, to which he pled guilty.
Over the next few years, Francis faced additional legal issues, including allegations of assaulting a Playboy model at a nightclub and being ordered to pay $20 million in damages to casino owner Steve Wynn for falsely claiming that Wynn had threatened to kill him, according to Today.
In March 2008, Francis pleaded “no contest” to his 2003 child abuse and prostitution charges under an agreement that allowed him to walk free after spending nearly a year in jail, per the Los Angeles Times. However, he returned to prison in May 2013, when he was sentenced to serve 270 days in jail, for an incident in January 2011, per NBC News.
According to the outlet, prosecutors alleged that Francis brought three women home after a night out, prevented them from leaving and assaulted one of them by smashing her head against the tile floor. Francis was convicted of three counts of false imprisonment, one count of assault causing great bodily injury and one count of dissuading a witness.
Additionally, Francis was also sentenced to serve 36 months on probation, attend psychological counseling for one year and enroll in an anger management course.
Where is Joe Francis now?
Joe Francis/ Instagram
Joe Francis at the 2024 Miss Universe crowning in Mexico City, Mexico.
Francis fled the U.S. in 2015 and has been living in Mexico. Two federal judges have called for his arrest, with one recommending jail time, according to a May 2015 Wall Street Journal report.
Currently, Francis resides on a 45,000-square-foot property in Punta Mita, Mexico, where he said in the Peacock series that some of the Girls Gone Wild footage was filmed.
In December 2017, Francis lost the right to profit from his estate in Punta Mita until he repaid over $2 million that he had fraudulently transferred to support the property, though it is unclear if the oceanfront home is where Francis currently resides.
Who was Joe Francis’ ex-girlriend?
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Joe Francis and Abbey Wilson attend The Blacks’ Annual Gala to benefit The Consequences Program and Bay Point Schools at Eden Roc Hotel on April 18, 2009 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Francis began dating model Abbey Wilson in 2012 after she won his show, The Search for the Hottest Girl in America. At the time, she was 18, and he was in his mid-30s, per Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story. They welcomed twin daughters, Athena and Alexandria, on Oct. 7, 2014, in Mexico.
Francis and Wilson had an on-again, off-again relationship for years until they seemed to split for good around 2021. They entered an ongoing public fight over their kids, who have reportedly been living with their mother in the U.S. while Francis resides in Mexico.
What has Joe Francis said about Girls Gone Wild and his time in prison?
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Joe Francis CEO of Mantra Films and creator of “Girls Gone Wild” holds a press conference at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel on March 13, 2008 in Beverly Hills, California.
Reflecting on the 2003 Panama City scandal, Francis showed little remorse on Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story.
“I don’t believe they were victimized. I believe they victimized me. 100%,” he said. “I believe and we all believe that they were put up by the Panama City Police and it was all an operation.”
Francis has also expressed his outrage at the justice system during a 2013 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, calling the jury the “weakest members of the herd.”
According to NBC News, Francis issued an apology shortly after, in which he shared his “deep regret” for his remarks.
“They were hurtful and do not reflect my true feelings. While I disagree with the jury’s verdict as I am completely innocent of the charges and intend to appeal, I was afforded a fair trial, and if I lose at the appellate level, I will reluctantly but fully accept the jury’s verdict,” he said.
In the Peacock docuseries, Francis also denied claims that he had crossed the line with Girls Gone Wild subjects, claiming that he only had consensual sex with adult women.
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