Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS)

Intellectual Property Cases

 

Many cases have been prosecuted under the intellectual property statutes, such as 18 U.S.C. §§2318, 2319, and 2320.   Below is a summary chart of recently prosecuted intellectual property cases.  This listing is a representative sample; it is not exhaustive.  Click on the name of the case to read a press release about the case.

Intellectual Property    Case Chart Violation Film, Music Soft- Hard- ware Est. Loss Perpetrator charged- group? Punishment Other Colloquial Case Name (District) Press Release Date             Incarceration or probation (months) Fine Forfeiture Restitution   U.S. v. Sarna et al. (C.D. Cal.) May 14, 2004 Copyright          TBD TBD U.S. v. Winigman (N.D. Ohio) April 26, 2004 DMCA          12 102K Satellite TV Cards U.S. v. Russo (D.R.I.) April 23, 2004 Copyright 5M 13 6K Operation Buccaneer U.S. v. Murphy (N.D. Ala.) April 21, 2004 Trademark          41 45K Adulterated Pesticides U.S. v. Sprague (C.D. Cal.) April 13, 2004 Copyright          TBD TBD Pre-Release Movies U.S. v. Barbot (E.D. Va.) March 23, 2004 Copyright Trademark     12M       70 1.7M   U.S. v. Singh (D. Conn.) February 20, 2004 Copyright           TBD TBD Operation Safehaven U.S. v. Young et al. (C.D. Cal.) February 12, 2004 Copyright           TBD TBD U.S. v. Pnewski (D. D.C.) February 10, 2004 Copyright           46 prob. 7K   U.S. v. Breen (N.D. Cal.) February 10, 2004 Copyright          50 700K Operation Buccaneer  U.S. v. Miller (D. D.C.) February 7, 2004 Copyright          36 prob. 1.5K   U.S. v. Woo (E.D. Va.) February 6, 2004 Copyright            4 15.6K Operation Cybernet U.S. v. Zielin (Neas, Woods) (D. N.H.) January 23, 2004 Copyright       TBD TBD Operation Digital Piratez U.S. v. Ishida (D. Conn.) January 23, 2004 Copyright          TBD TBD Operation Safehaven U.S. v. McVay (D. N.H.) December 19, 2003 Copyright        TBD TBD Operation Digital Piratez U.S. v. Amorosi et al. (D. Nev) December 18, 2003 Copyright     1M TBD TBD Operation Bandwidth U.S. v. Remy (D. N.J.) December 8, 2003 Copyright   2.2M    TBD TBD NET Act Case Operation Cybernet U.S. v. St. John (D. Ariz.) November 26, 2003 Copyright       TBD TBD Operation Buccaneer U.S. v. Villa (S.D. Fla.) November 25, 2003 Copyright   1M   30 TBD   U.S. v. Nguyen (C.D. Cal.) October 28, 2003 Trademark      5M   TBD TBD   U.S. v. Tolleson (M.D. Tenn.) October 8, 2003 Unauthorized use of communications         30  2.6M Satellite TV Cards U.S. v. Myers et al. (D. Conn.) October 2, 2003 Copyright      TBD TBD Operation Safehaven  U.S. v. Motter (D. N.H.) September 30, 2003 Copyright 500K   24 Operation Digital Piratez U.S. v. Davis (D. D.C) September 29, 2003 Copyright   3.3K   6 3.3K U.S. v. Whitehead (C.D. Cal.) September 22, 2003 DMCA   12.5M   TBD TBD Operation DeCrypt , first DMCA jury trial conviction U.S. v. McCobb (D. Conn.) September 9, 2003 Copyright 40K   TBD TBD   U.S. v. Kaighn (D. N.J.) September 8, 2003 Copyright  18K   TBD TBD Also pled guilty to wire fraud  U.S. v. Brown (E.D. Va.) August 29, 2003 Copyright  200-350K   12 1K   U.S. v. Shumaker (E.D. Va.) August 21, 2003 Copyright       TBD TBD  Operation Buccaneer U.S. v. Jaghouri (Carter) (C.D. Cal.) August 18, 2003 Trademark       TBD TBD Two separate cases  U.S. v. Raines (S.D. N.Y.) July 16, 2003 Copyright       TBD TBD   U.S. v. Jiang (S.D. N.Y.) July 11, 2003 Copyright       TBD TBD  Also plead to computer intrusion U.S. v. Jou (N.D. Cal.) July 8, 2003 Copyright Software   900K   33 0   U.S. v. Lawler (D. N.H.) July 1, 2003 Trademark         TBD TBD   U.S. v. Gonzalez (S.D. N.Y.) June 25, 2003 Copyright         TBD TBD Posted "The Hulk" on the Internet  U.S. v. Pitman (E.D. Va.) June 6, 2003 Copyright         TBD TBD Operation Buccaneer U.S. v. Sockloskie (N.D. Ohio) May 30, 2003 Unauthorized use of communications         12 9M Satellite TV Cards U.S. v. Kovalchuk (N.D. Cal.) May 21, 2003 Copyright  3M   TBD TBD Extradition from Thailand U.S. v. Gasca (C.D. Cal.) May 6, 2003 Copyright     TBD TBD   U.S. v. Davis (D.D.C.) April 30, 2003 Copyright   TBD TBD   U.S. v. Fitzgerald (E.D. Va.) April 25, 2003 Copyright      40K-70K   8 3K NET Act Case U.S. v. Bah (S.D. N.Y.) April 16, 2003 Copyright   46  1.2M    U.S. v. Griffiths (E.D. Va.) March 12, 2003 Copyright 50M TBD TBD Operation Buccaneer, Extradition from Australia U.S. v. Fontanini et al. (S.D. Cal.) March 10, 2003 Trademark Copyright   1.5M TBD TBD   U.S. v. Ma et al. (E.D. N.Y.) February 26, 2003 Copyright Trademark   9M TBD TBD   U.S. v. Rocci (E.D. Va.) February 26, 2003 DMCA Copyright       10 28K DMCA  U.S. v. Mynaf (E.D. Cal.) February 13, 2003 DMCA Copyright     200K   24 200K DMCA  U.S. v. Prapakamol (C.D. Cal) February 12, 2003 Copyright     1M   TBD TBD   U.S. v. Walter et al. (C.D. Ca) February 11, 2003 DMCA Unauthorized use of communications     14.9M   TBD TBD Operation Decrypt U.S. v. Zhu (Huang) (S.D. N.Y.) February 10, 2003 Trademark     200K   TBD TBD Louis Vuitton handbags U.S. v. Mitchell (N.D. Cal) February 4, 2003 Copyright         46 1.9M Internet Auction Sales U.S. v. Farmer (D. S.C.) January 16, 2003 Trademark         TBD TBD   U.S. v. Walter (C.D. Cal.) December 18, 2002 Unauthorized use of communications      15M   TBD TBD Satellite TV Cards U.S. v. Berrios (Peralta) (S.D. Fla.) November 1, 2002 Trademark Copyright      3M   TBD TBD CDs & Cassettes  U.S. v. Wisdom (N.D. Ohio) September 18, 2002 Copyright      2.5K   18 prob. 7K   U.S. v. Baker (N.D. Cal) September 17, 2002 Copyright     2.4M   36 prob. 5K   U.S. v. Mostafa (C.D. Cal.) August 9, 2002 Trademark         44* 0 Health/Safety threat U.S. v. Lewis (M.D. Tenn.) July 11, 2002 Unauth. use of communications         72 12.5M Satellite TV Cards U.S. v.Pattanayek (E.D. Va) July 2, 2002 Copyright     5M   41 0 Operation Buccaneer U.S. v. Chien (C.D. Cal) June 25, 2002 Copyright     1M 33 7.5K   U.S. v. Deot (N.D. Tex) June 17, 2002 Copyright     41M 8 10M   U.S. v. Suris (D.D.C.) May 31, 2002 Copyright     290K   16 290.5K Internet Auction Sales U.S. v. Tzeng (C.D. Cal) May 24, 2002 Trademark   7M    21 356K   U.S. v. Sankus (E.D. Va.) May 17, 2002 Copyright     5M 46 0 Operation Buccaneer U.S. v. "Pirates with Attitudes" (N.D. IL) May 15, 2001 Copyright   1M 18 1K  NET Act Case U.S. v. Chan (N.D. Cal.) April 19, 2002 Copyright      5M+ TBD TBD  Operation Cyberstorm U.S. v. Kartadinata (Nguyen) (C.D. Cal.) January 22, 2002 Copyright     5M TBD TBD Operation Buccaneer U.S. v. Qaza (E.D. N.Y.) January 11, 2002 Trademark Copyright     1M 41 0 CDs & DVDs U.S. v. Dipadova & Ford (N.D. SC) December 17, 2001 Trademark        24 138.2K   U.S. v. Sklyarov (N.D. Cal) December 13, 2001 DMCA        0 0  DMCA U.S. v. Niemi (N.D. Cal.) November 28, 2001 Copyright Fraud       13K + Fraud    60 prob. 0   U.S. v. Polk (D. Miss.) November 21, 2001 Copyright        7.8K    7 6.5K   U.S. v. Butler (N.D. Ohio) October 1, 2001 Unauth. use of communic- ations     100K   36 prob. 120K Satellite TV Cards U.S. v. Lirola et al (N.D. Cal) August 7, 2001 Copyright    900K 21 900K  Chevey Corvette & wwebsite U.S. v. Ngo (D. Utah) July 17, 2001 Trademark     10 0   U.S. v. Gray (C.D. Ill.) June 14, 2001 Unauth. use of communic- ations        TBD TBD Satellite TV Cards U.S. v. Howland (D. Md.) June 13, 2001 Copyright          36 prob. 2.6K   U.S. v. Bailey (S.D. Ind.) June 1, 2001 Copyright   1.4M 18 0   U.S. v. Stockton (D. OR) April 16, 2001 Copyright   490K   12 100K   U.S. v. Rivera (D. NJ) April 4, 2001 Unauth. use of communic- ations       60 prob. 11K Satellite TV Cards U.S. v. Kislyansky (N.D. Ohio) April 3, 2001 Copyright    15.5M 18 570K   U.S. v. Reeves (W.D. WA) March 23, 2001 Copyright     60 99K   U.S. v. Xie (D. Md) March 16, 2001 Copyright    47K 36 prob. 27K   U.S. v. Ding (N.D. Cal) March 6, 2001 Money Laundering   160K   5 4K   U.S. v. Herr (C.D. Cal) February 26, 2001 Copyright   20K   14 0   U.S. v. Hawkins (N.D. OH) February 23, 2001 Unauth. use of communic- ations          12 prob. 2K   U.S. v. Fastlane (N.D. IL) February 16, 2001 Copyright   1M TBD TBD   NET Act Case U.S. v. Kennedy (D. RI) February 15, 2001 Unauth. use of communic- ations         14 0   U.S. v. Baltutat (E.D. MI) January 30, 2001 Copyright         36 prob. 0   NET Act Case U.S. v. Bynum (D. Md) January 29, 2001 Copyright       24 460K   U.S. v. Lirola et al (N.D. Cal) January 5, 2001 Copyright    900K 0 900K  Chevy Corvette & website U.S. v. Spatafore (N.D. Cal) December 15, 2000 Copyright       24 prob. 0   NET Act Case U.S. v. Mou (C.D. Cal) December 4, 2000 Trademark    600K   12 660K   U.S. v. Flick (N.D. OH) August 16, 2000  Unauth. use of communic- ations   250K   6 250K   U.S v. Poulsen, Walid, Bauer, Angell, et al. (many districts) August 8, 2000 Unauth. use of communic- ations          TBD TBD   U.S. v. Platinum. Wu. Pham (E.D. NY) June 22, 2000 Trademark      1 340K   U.S. v. Antaramian & Hariri (C.D. Cal) June 2, 2000 Copyright      TBD TBD   U.S. v. Marino et al. (S.D. Cal) April 12, 2000       10M+ 41 10M   U.S. v. Thornton (D.D.C.) March 3, 2000 Copyright   9K   60 prob. 9K   NET Act Case U.S. v. Kablin (MA) February 23, 2000 Trademark         6 85K   U.S. v. Lee (HI) December 9, 1999 Trademark         10 0   U.S. v. Levy (OR) November 23, 1999 Copyright 70K   24 prob. 0   NET Act Case U.S. v. Desktop Sales, Inc. (N.D. IL) November 19, 1998 Trademark   1.1M 0 3.3M   *Defendant Appeal

Glossary For the purposes of the computer crime case chart, the following words or phrases are defined. Violation – This category lists the section/s of the U.S.C. used in the defendant’s indictment or conviction. Trademark – 18 U.S.C. § 2320 bans trafficking in counterfeit goods or services. Copyright – 18 U.S.C. § 2318 and § 2319 prohibit, respectively, trafficking in counterfeit labels and documentation, and infringing a copyright. Unauthorized use of communications – 47 U.S.C. § 605 bans the unauthorized use of telecommunications services (such as satellite television programming) as well as the distribution of devices that enable such unauthorized use. Digital Millenium Copyright Act – 17 U.S.C. § 1201 prohibits the circumvention of copyright protection systems. Film, Music - Whether or not the film and music industry was affected by the IP crime. For example, a case involving distribution of bootleg copies of a Star Wars movie would be indicated with a checkmark in the “Film, Music” column, as would a case involving “cracked” DirecTV access cards. Soft-/Hard-ware - Whether or not the software and hardware industry was affected by the IP crime. A case involving distribution of Adobe software on a WareZ site, or manipulated and remarked computer chips, would be indicated with a checkmark in the “Soft-/Hard-ware” column. Estimated loss - The estimated amount of damage that occurs as a result of the IP crime. The estimates in this table are rounded down from figures provided by law enforcement agents on the case. Perpetrator Charged - Indicates whether the defendant was allegedly operating within a larger, organized framework. Punishment - Incarceration or probation (months) - refers to number of months of incarceration (prison, home confinement) imposed on the defendant, or, if no incarceration was imposed, the number of months of probation. Fine, Forfeiture, Restitution - the combined amount that the defendant must pay in fines, restitution and forfeiture. Other - This column may be used for mentioning unusual aspects of the case.

A.    Press Releases for Intellectual Property Rights Cases

Year 2004 Six Formerly Associated with Fox Cable Charged with Copyright Infringement for Running Warez Site that had Pirated Movies, Software (May 14, 2004) Ohio Man Convicted on Charges of Producing Counterfeit U.S. Currency and Illegally Modifying or "hacking" Direct TV Access Cards (April 26, 2004) Warwick, Rhode Island Man is Sentenced for Software Piracy (April 23, 2004) Glencoe, Alabama Man Sentenced for Selling Counterfeit & Misbranded Pesticides to Cities (April 21, 2004) Illinois Man who Distributed Illegally Copied Movies Pleads Guilty to Federal Copyright Infringement Charges (April 13, 2004) Warren, Rhode Island Pair Admit Trafficking in Counterfeit DVDs (March 24, 2004) Richmond, Virginia Man Sentenced to 70 Months and $1.7 Million Restitution for Illegal Distribution of Counterfeit Microsoft (March 23, 2004) Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Copyright Infringement (February 20, 2004) Four Named in Federal Copyright Infringement Charges for Illegally Copying, Distributing Hollywood Movies (February 12, 2004) St. Paul, Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced in First Federal U.S. Case Charging Criminal Copyright Infringement of Motion Pictures (February 10, 2004) Leader of Oldest Game Piracy Group Gets 50-Month Prison Sentence (February10, 2004) Pennsylvania Man Sentenced in First D.C. Case Charging Trafficking in Live Musical Performances (February 7, 2004) Internet Distributor of Pirated Software Pleads Guilty to Criminal Copyright Infringement (February 6, 2004) Three More Men Plead Guilty in New Hampshire Web-Based Software Piracy Conspiracy (January 23, 2004) Operation Safehaven: Honolulu, Hawaii Man Pleads Guilty to Copyright Infringement (January 23, 2004) Chicago Man Arrested for Criminal Copyright Infringement in Connection with Prohibited Release of Major Motion Pictures, Many Prior to their Theatrical Release (January 22, 2004) Glencoe, Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Counterfeit and Adulterated Pesticides (January 5, 2004)   Year 2003 Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty in New Hampshire Software Piracy Conspiracy (December 19, 2003) Twelve "Operation Bandwidth" Software Pirates Enter into Group Guilty Plea (December 18, 2003) New Jersey Man Admits to Distribution of Pirated Movies, Music, Computer Software and Games Worth Over $2.2 Million (December 8, 2003) Gilbert, Arizona Valley Man Indicted in International Software Piracy Scheme (November 26, 2003) Hialeah, Florida Man Sentenced for Criminal Copyright Infringement (November 25, 2003) Attorney General Ashcroft Announces "Operation Cyber Sweep": Five Men Charged in New Hampshire with Software Piracy (November 20, 2003) Orange County, California Businessman Found Gulity of Trafficking Counterfeit Compaq Computer Components (October 28, 2003) Smyrna, Tennessee Businessman and Employees Sentenced in Satellite Television Piracy Case (October 8, 2003) Federal Investigation Leads to Prosecution of Internet Software Pirates (October 2, 2003) Iowa Man Receives Two-Year Prison Sentence in Internet Software Conspiracy (September 30, 2003) New York Man Sentenced in First D.C. Case Charging Music Piracy (September 29, 2003) Federal Jury Convicts Smart-Card Hacker of Boca Raton, Florida for Violating Digital Millenium Copyright Act (September 22, 2003) Connecticut Man Pleads Guilty to Criminal Copyright Infringement (September 9, 2003) Gloucester City, New Jersey Man Admits Defrauding eBay Bidders and Criminal Copyright Infringement (September 8, 2003) Sterling, Virginia Man Pleas Guilty to Creating and Selling Pirated Music CDs Over the Internet (August 29,2003) Online Music Piracy Leader from Orlando, Florida Pleads Guilty (August 21, 2003) Two Los Angeles-Area Residents Charged with Trafficking Millions of Dollars of Counterfeit Designer Goods (August 18, 2003) Hialeah, Florida Man Arrested for Criminal Copyright Infringment (July 28, 2003) U.S. Charged Brooklyn Man with Selling Pirated Software to an Undercover Agent (July 16, 2003) Queens, New York Man Pleads to Federal Charges of Computer Damage, Access Device Fraud and Software Piracy (July 11, 2003) Fremont, California Man Sentenced for Packaging and Selling Counterfeit Microsoft Software (July 8, 2003) Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar New Hampshire Internet Conspiracy (July 1, 2003) Hamilton, NJ Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Stealing the Movie 'The Hulk' and Posting it on the Internet (June 25, 2003) Former Leader of Razor 1911, the Oldest Game Software Piracy Ring on the Internet, Sentenced (June 6, 2003) Concord, Ohio Man Sentenced for Manufacturing, Selling, and Distributing Satellite Television Access Devices (May 30, 2003) Sterling, Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Making and Selling Illegal Music CDs (May 22, 2003) International Software Piracy Ringleader Arrested With Assistance of San Francisco Electronic Crimes Task Force Agents in Bangkok, Thailand (May 21, 2003) Hollywood Man Who Used Camcorder to Pirate Movies Charged with Copyright Infringement, Making Threats (May 6, 2003) Arlington County Man Is Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Pirated Computer Software Over the Internet (April 25, 2003) New York Man Pleads Guilty in First D.C. Case Charging Music Piracy (April 30, 2003) Warwick, Rhode Island Man Admits Participation in Software Piracy Network (April 24, 2003) Leader of Massive Video Piracy Ring Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court (April 16, 2003) Defendant Indicted in Connection with Operating Illegal Internet Software Piracy Group (March 12, 2003) Nine Indicted for Engaging in a Conspiracy to Distribute Counterfeit Microsoft Software (March 10, 2003) Six Charged with Trafficking in Counterfeit Computer Software - $9 Million Worth of Counterfeit Software Seized During Search of Defendant's Distribution Centers (February 26, 2003) Justice Department Seizes Top Internet Site Involved in Copyright Piracy (February 26, 2003) Smyrna, Tennessee Businessman Pleads Guilty in Satellite Television Piracy Case (February 20, 2003) First Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Criminal Sentencing in California Involving More than 4,500 Bootlegged Video Tapes (February 13, 2003) Thai National Indicted on Federal Charges of Importing Millions of Dollars in Counterfeit Software (February 12, 2003) Operation Decrypt Leads to Charges Against 17 for Developing Technology used to Steal Millions of Dollars Worth of Satellite TV (February 11, 2003) Two Staten Island, New York Men Arrested in Conspiracy to Sell Over $200,000 Worth of Fake Louis Vuitton Handbags via the Internet (February 10, 2003) Concord, Ohio Man Charged with Manufacturing, Selling, and Distributing Satellite Television Access Devices (February 4, 2003) Florida Man Sentenced for Selling Counterfeit Software Labels on AuctionWeb Sites (February 4, 2003) Arlington, Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Pirated Software Over the Internet (February 3, 2003) South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Clothing with Counterfeit Trademarks (January 16, 2003)   Year 2002 Los Angeles Man Pleads Guilty to Manufacturing and Selling Satellite Television Access Devices; He Acknowledges Nearly $15 Million Loss to Dish Network (December 18, 2002) Hialeah, Florida Owner and Operator of Multi-Million Dollar Music Piracy Operation Charged Criminally (November 1, 2002) Orange County, California Businessman Indicted for Trafficking Counterfeit Compaq Computer Components (October 28, 2002) Akron, Ohio Man Indicted on Criminal Infringement of Copyrighted Computer Software and Trafficking in Counterfeit Labels (September 18, 2002) San Jose, California Man Indicted for Copyright Infringement by Producing and Selling Illegally Reproduced Software (September 17, 2002) Fugitive Who Sold Counterfeit Baby Formula Convicted of Federal Criminal Charges (August 9, 2002) Fremont, California Man Pleads Guilty to Copyright Infringement by Selling Illegally Reproduced Microsoft Software (July 30, 2002) Longest Sentence for Satellite Television Piracy Affirmed by the Sixth Circuity Court of Appeals (July 11, 2002) Fort Walton Beach, Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Counterfeit Software Labels on Auction Web Sites (July 10, 2002) Member of "DrinkOrDie" Warez Group Sentenced to 41 Months (July 2, 2002) San Gabriel Valley Men Sentenced for Conspiring to Traffic in Counterfeit Microsoft Software (June 25, 2002) Defendant Ordered to Pay $10 Million Restitution to Microsoft for Pirating Software (June 17, 2002) Federal Indictments Returned in Las Vegas Against Software Pirates Nabbed in Operation Bandwidth (June 11, 2002) Software Pirate Sentenced (May 31, 2002) San Gabriel Valley Woman Sentenced for Trafficking in Counterfeit Microsoft Computer Programs (May 24, 2002) Warez Leader Sentenced to 46 Months (May17, 2002) Leader of Software Piracy Ring Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison (May 15, 2002) Green Bay, Wisconsin Man Charged with Computer Intrusion, Software Piracy and Numerous Destructive Acts (May 7, 2002) Twenty-Seven Arrested on Charges Relating to Trafficking in Counterfeit Software (April 19, 2002) Vacaville, California Man Pleads Guilty to Criminal Copyright Charges Involving More Than 4,500 Bootlegged Video Tapes (March 28, 2002) Leader of Internet Software Piracy Organization Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy (February 27, 2002) Vacaville, California Man Indicted On Criminal Copyright Charges Involving More Than 4,500 Bootlegged Video Tapes (February 7, 2002) Brooklyn, New York Software Pirate Pleads Guilty (February 1, 2002) First Defendants in One of the World’s Most Sophisticated Internet Piracy Syndicates Charged in L.A. (January 22, 2002) Two Brooklyn Men Indicted in Connection with Largest Seizure of Counterfeit DVDs in United States History (January 11, 2002) Year 2001 Defendant Who Operated www.fakegifts.com Sentenced (December 17, 2001) Russian National Enters into Agreement with the United States on First Digital Millennium Copyright Act Case (December 13, 2001) Federal Law Enforcement Targets International Internet Piracy Syndicates (December 11, 2001) Man Indicted For Auctioning Pirated Software On Ebay (Nov. 28, 2001) Liberty, Mississippi Woman Convicted of Distributing Copyrighted Videotapes Through Her Video Rental Business (November 21, 2001) U.S. Customs Seizes $100 Million in Pirated Computer Software, Biggest Case in U.S. History (November 16, 2001) Millersburg, Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Selling and Distributing Illegal Satellite TV Cards (October 1, 2001) First Indictment Under Digital Millennium Copyright Act Returned Against Russian National, Company, in San Jose, California (August 28, 2001) Two Defendants Sentenced for Distribution and Sales of Counterfeit Copyrighted Computer Software (August 7, 2001) Millersburg, Ohio Man Indicted for Selling and Distributing Illegal Satellite TV Cards (August 7, 2001) Russian Man Charged in California under Digital Millennium Copyright Act with Circumventing Adobe eBook Reader (July 17, 2001) West Valley Man Sentenced to 10 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking in Counterfeit Video Tapes (July 17, 2001) San Gabriel Valley, California Woman Arrested for Trafficking in Counterfeit Microsoft Computer Programs (June 15, 2001) Rantoul, Illinois Men Guilty in Satellite T.V. Sting (June 14, 2001) Bethesda, Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Copyright Infringement (June 13, 2001) Second Man Sentenced in Indiana for Trafficking in Counterfeit Computer Software (June 1, 2001) Software Pirate Guilty of Copyright Infringement Under NET Act (May 15, 2001) Former Eugene, Oregon, Resident Sentenced to Prison for Criminal Copyright Infringement (April 16, 2001) Leonid and Michael Kislyansky Sentenced in Cleveland, Ohio on Organized Crime Software Piracy Case (April 3, 2001) Bergenfield, New Jersey Man Admits Selling Pirated Satellite TV Access Cards (April 3, 2001) Aberdeen, Washington Woman Arrested on Criminal Copyright Infringement Charges for Selling Unauthorized Copies of Sony Games and Movies Over the Internet (March 23, 2001) Two Former Maryland Residents Plead Guilty To Selling Copyrighted Computer Software Online (March 16, 2001) Operators of www.fakegifts.com Web Site Plead Guilty in South Carolina to Selling Counterfeit Luxury Goods Over the Internet (March 7, 2001) Two Indicted and Arrested in South Carolina for Trafficking in Counterfeit Luxury Goods over www.fakegifts.com Web site (January 29, 2001) Silicon Valley Businessman Pleads Guilty to Hiding Proceeds of Sales Counterfeit Computer Software (March 6, 2001) Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Counterfeit Microsoft Software(February 26, 2001) Former Police Lieutenant Sentenced for Distributing and Selling Satellite TV Interception Devices (February 23, 2001) Nine Indicted in Chicago in $1 Million "Fastlane" Software Piracy Conspiracy (Feb. 16, 2001) Thomas Kennedy was caught in Operation Smartcard.net, a nationwide "sting" set up by the Customs Service (February 15, 2001) Former Journalism Student Pleads Guilty to Software Copyright Infringement (January 30, 2001) Man Sentenced in Michigan for Offering Software Programs for Free Downloading on "Hacker Hurricane" Web site (January 30, 2001) Temple Hills Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute 23,892 Bootleg Videocassetes and 58,975 Compact Discs (January 29, 2001) Two Defendants Plead Guilty to Distribution and Sales of Counterfeit Copyrighted Computer Software and Forfeit Ownership of a Domain Name (January 5, 2001) Year 2000 Man Pleads Guilty to Internet Piracy of Star Wars Film (December. 15, 2000) Woman Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Trafficking in Counterfeit Computer Software (December 4, 2000) Ohio Man Sentenced on Conviction of Illegally Distributing Satellite Television Access Cards (November 16, 2000) Police Lieutenant Charged With selling and Distributing Satellite TV Interception Devices (October 18, 2000) Texas Woman Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Counterfeit Microsoft Software (September 25, 2000) Man Charged with Internet Piracy of Star Wars Film (September 20, 2000) Ohio Man Charged with Illegally Distributing Satellite Television Access Cards (August 18, 2000) Undercover Customs Operation Results In Charges And Pleas in Connection With Stolen Satellite Television (August 8, 2000) Federal Jury Convicts Four Individuals on Charges of Trademark Counterfeit, Conspiracy for Reselling Infant Formula (July 18, 2000) New York Electronic Crimes Task Force Arrests Two Individuals on Charges of Trafficking in Counterfeit Computer Chips and Software (June 22, 2000) Two Californians Arrested by FBI for Counterfeiting High-Security Computer Chips Used in Arcade Video Games (June 2, 2000) Texas Woman Charged with Running Ring That Trafficked in Counterfeit Software (May 23, 2000) U.S. Indicts 17 in Alleged International Software Piracy Conspiracy (May 4, 2000) Three Year Investigation Reveals Black Market Dealings in Counterfeit Sports and Celebrity Memorabilia (April 12, 2000) Virginia Man Sentenced for Violation of the "No Electronic Theft" (NET) Act for Unlawful Distribution of Software on the Internet (March 3, 2000) Norwood Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Counterfeit Clothing and Accessories (February 23, 2000) Year 1999 Eric Thornton Pleads Guilty to Charges Filed under the "No Electronic Theft" (Net) Act for Unlawful Distribution of Software on the Internet (December 22, 1999) Kent Aoki Lee Charged by Federal Grand Jury with Wire Fraud, Trademark Violations, and Selling Viagra over the Internet Without a Prescription (December 9, 1999) Defendant Sentenced for First Criminal Copyright Conviction Under the "No Electronic Theft" (NET) Act for Unlawful Distribution of Software on the Internet (November 23, 1999)   First Criminal Copyright Conviction Under the "No Electronic Theft" (NET) Act for Unlawful Distribution of Software on the Internet (August 20, 1999) Year 1998 Computer company pleads guilty and agrees to pay $3.3 million in fines and restitution for violation of IBM trademark (November 19, 1998)   B.    Operation Buccaneer Operation Buccaneer is an ongoing international copyright piracy investigation and prosecution undertaken by federal law enforcement. On December 11, 2001, in a coordinated international effort, the U.S. Customs Service and the Department of Justice executed, or caused to be executed, more than 65 searches in the U.S. and five foreign countries. As of October, 2002, 16 defendants have been convicted in the U.S. of felony criminal copyright offenses, including conspiracy to commit those offenses, and 13 defendants have been sentenced to federal prison terms of up to 46 months. These are the longest sentences ever imposed in the United States for Internet copyright piracy. Additional guilty pleas and sentencings are scheduled in the coming months. More information about Operation Buccaneer, including convictions and sentences, press releases and an overview of the illegal "warez" organizations and Internet piracy are available via the link below. More Information on Operation Buccaneer C.    Operation "Counter Copy" In early May, the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation released the first results of a nationwide law enforcement effort to crack down on trademark and copyright fraud, which is estimated to cost American businesses millions of dollars each year and cheat unsuspecting consumers who purchase counterfeit products. As a result of the joint effort, called Operation "Counter Copy," 35 indictments were returned since the beginning of April for copyright or trademark infringement. More information about Operation Counter Copy, including a press release and brief summaries of the cases, are available via the links below. Summaries of Cases Press Release

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Updated page May 19, 2004
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