Recently discovered documents…seem to show that...Avion, a Philippines-based company,...worked to promote and create sex ads on behalf of [classifieds website Backpage.com] overseas…

Backpage.com has long been labeled by authorities as an online brothel, and a recent U.S. Senate report said the site is involved in 73 percent of all child trafficking reports...from the public.

Backpage has defended its website by saying it doesn’t have control over the sex-related ads. The company has also said it’s protected by the U.S. Constitution and [legislation] which grants immunity to websites that post content created by others. Various court rulings have upheld Backpage’s defense claims. The company has also said it takes efforts to prevent illegal activity with warnings and filters that block and remove improper ads…

A U.S. Senate subcommittee report…said Backpage continually altered ads before publication by deleting words, phrases and images indicative of criminality, including child sex trafficking. The report also alleged that Backpage is aware its site facilitates…child sex trafficking…

Backpage currently faces various criminal cases and civil lawsuits around the country…

The documents seized from the Philippines-based company were provided…by an attorney who has filed a lawsuit in Chicago against Backpage, alleging the death of a 16-year-old was due to her becoming a sex trafficking victim who was featured in solicitation posts on Backpage.com.