Bangladesh, Sept. 10 -- A US federal court has delivered a landmark ruling against Michael Pratt, the disgraced founder of the now-defunct pornography website GirlsDoPorn, sentencing him to 27 years in prison for orchestrating one of the largest sex trafficking schemes in recent memory. The case, which shocked both the adult industry and the public, underscores how digital platforms can be exploited to commit widespread abuse under the guise of consensual entertainment.

Pratt, a New Zealand national, founded GirlsDoPorn in 2009 with the intent of marketing videos featuring young women, many of whom were first-time performers. The website quickly grew into a multimillion-dollar operation, catering to an audience eager for content that app...