Software piracy profitable, but illegal
Date: August 27, 2006Source: releases.usnewswire.com
The owner of a massive for-profit software piracy website was sentenced in federal court to six years in prison, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg of the Eastern District of Virginia announced today.
In addition to the prison term, Danny Ferrer, 37, of Lakeland, Fla., was also ordered by U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III to forfeit the proceeds of his illegal conduct, pay restitution of more than $4.1 million, and perform 50 hours of community service. The ordered forfeiture involves a wide array of assets, including numerous airplanes, a helicopter, boats, and cars, which Ferrer had purchased with the profits from his illegal enterprise. In particular, Ferrer forfeited a Cessna 152; a Cessna 172RG; a Model TS-11 ISKRA aircraft; a RotorWay International helicopter; a 1992 Lamborghini; a 2005 Hummer; a 2002 Chevrolet Corvette; two 2005 Chevrolet Corvettes; a 2005 Lincoln Navigator; an IGATE G500 LE Flight Simulator; a 1984 twenty-eight-foot Marinette hardtop express boat; and an ambulance. Ferrer has also agreed to surrender the proceeds of sales of two fire trucks that were also bought with his illegal proceeds.
"Danny Ferrer obtained millions of dollars worth of luxury items by stealing and pirating the works of others. But now, the cars and planes and boats he paid for with the proceeds of his crime are being taken by the government, and he will spend six years in jail," said Assistant Attorney General Fisher. "The Department of Justice is committed to vigorous enforcement of the law and protection of intellectual property rights."
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