Breaking News: Feds Sentence Co-Founder of NinjaVideo.net to 14 months in prison
78 replies, posted
[B]Co-Founder of NinjaVideo.net Website Sentenced in Virginia to 14 Months in Prison for Criminal Copyright Conspiracy
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[release]WASHINGTON – Matthew David Howard Smith, 24, of Raleigh, N.C., was sentenced today in Alexandria, Va., to 14 months in prison for his role in founding NinjaVideo.net, a website that provided millions of users with the ability to illegally download high-quality copies of copyright-protected movies and television programs, announced the Department of Justice and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga also ordered Smith to serve two years of supervised release following his prison term, to pay $172,387 and to forfeit to the United States five financial accounts and various computer equipment involved in the crimes. Smith pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2011, to conspiracy and criminal copyright infringement.
Smith was one of the founders of the NinjaVideo.net website, which operated from February 2008 until it was shut down by law enforcement in June 2010. NinjaVideo.net provided millions of website visitors with the ability to illegally download infringing copies of copyright-protected movies and television programs in high-quality formats. Many of the movies offered on the website were still playing in theaters, while others had not yet been released. According to court documents, Smith designed many operational elements of the website, including an “applet” that was required to view infringing content on the NinjaVideo.net website. Smith admitted that he made agreements with online advertising entities to generate income for the website, and he and his co-conspirators collected more than $500,000 during the website’s two-and-a-half years of operation. Smith kept $172,387 of the illegal proceeds for himself.
On Sept. 9, 2011, Smith was indicted along with four of the other top administrators of NinjaVideo.net. Co-defendant Hana Amal Beshara was sentenced on Jan. 6, 2012, to 22 months in prison and ordered to repay nearly $210,000 for her role as another co-founder of NinjaVideo.net. Two additional co-defendants are awaiting sentencing. An arrest warrant remains outstanding for the fourth indicted co-defendant, Zoi Mertzanis of Greece. Another co-founder of NinjaVideo.net who was charged separately has also pleaded guilty.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section.
The investigation was conducted by the ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center). The IPR Center is one of the U.S. government’s key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. As a task force, the IPR Center uses the expertise of its 19 member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public's health and safety, the U.S. economy and the war fighters.[/release]
Source: [url]http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2012/January/12-atj-079.html[/url]
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Well now that just ain't right.
Viva La [B]THIS POST IS BLOCKED BY SOPA[/B]
Damn, I was thinking to myself that I would take 14 months in jail for this... Better than losing all my shit. Then I kept reading and realize once hes out he loses all his stuff...
[QUOTE=SCopE5000;34314588]Viva La [B]THIS POST IS BLOCKED BY SOPA[/B][/QUOTE]
Viva La ███████
[quote]NinjaVideo.net provided millions of website visitors with the ability to illegally download infringing copies of copyright-protected movies and television programs in high-quality formats. Many of the movies offered on the website were still playing in theaters, while others had not yet been released.[/quote]
Why are people surprised and/or giving this sympathy?
Shits gonna hit the fan soon.
[QUOTE=J!NX;34314593]Did SOPA like, secretly pass or something?[/QUOTE]DMCA.....
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[QUOTE=l l;34314600]Why are people surprised and/or giving this sympathy?[/QUOTE]Becuz guvernment iz evul!!!!
[QUOTE=l l;34314600]Why are people surprised and/or giving this sympathy?[/QUOTE]
Don't take what I said as sympathy. This is blatantly illegal. I completely agree to the terms of punishment.
That's why megaupload shutting down was worse than just a website shutting down, because now that the feds have tried and succeeded at doing this shit, they won't stop at all.
He made money off it, this makes sense.
And knew it was copyrighted and didn't do shit.
[QUOTE=Ganerumo;34314622]That's why megaupload shutting down was worse than just a website shutting down, because now that the feds have tried and succeeded at doing this shit, they won't stop at all.[/QUOTE]
This was blatantly terribly illegal...
[QUOTE=l l;34314600]Why are people surprised and/or giving this sympathy?[/QUOTE]
Cause Download.com is owned by CBS and they made [i]hundreds of millions[/i] of dollars exclusively distributing Kazaa, Limewire, etc and now they're going to make billions more from this bullshit.
I can understand people being fined if they actually host the files, to a degree (although not to the tune of nearly $200,000), but being sent to jail for copyright infringement is so out of proportion it's unreal.
[QUOTE=ExplodingGuy;34314610]DMCA.....
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Becuz guvernment iz evul!!!![/QUOTE]
how did I like, not remember that?
just rate me dumb.
This will surely deter other pirates rather than encourage them in protest.
[QUOTE=Squad;34314618]Don't take what I said as sympathy. This is blatantly illegal. I completely agree to the terms of punishment.[/QUOTE]
Wasn't directed at you, first two posts in the thread are sympathetic and stupid, do note the multiple friendly ratings on the OP.
[QUOTE=Camundongo;34314676]I can understand people being fined if they actually host the files, to a degree (although not to the tune of nearly $200,000), but being sent to jail for copyright infringement is so out of proportion it's unreal.[/QUOTE]
Copyright is serious business.
[QUOTE=Scot;34314713]This will surely deter other pirates rather than encourage them in protest.[/QUOTE]
Lol yeah I'm so angry about this that I'm gonna start a warez site and get 14 months in prison too!
Seriously?
[editline]21st January 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Camundongo;34314676]I can understand people being fined if they actually host the files, to a degree (although not to the tune of nearly $200,000), but being sent to jail for copyright infringement is so out of proportion it's unreal.[/QUOTE]
Did he know they were breaking the law?
[QUOTE=garry;34314762]Did he know they were breaking the law?[/QUOTE]
I'm guessing pretty much definitely, but I'm of the opinion copyright should be either a civil matter, or a criminal matter which results in a fine (I'm also happy for any equipment or funds involved to be confiscated). Not being sent to jail.
[QUOTE=Camundongo;34314834]I'm guessing pretty much definitely, but I'm of the opinion copyright should be either a civil matter, or a criminal matter which results in a fine (I'm also happy for any equipment or funds involved to be confiscated). Not being sent to jail.[/QUOTE]
Obviously piracy is bad, but sending people to jail is just stupid, same as an unpayable fine.
[QUOTE=garry;34314762]Lol yeah I'm so angry about this that I'm gonna start a warez site and get 14 months in prison too!
Seriously?[/QUOTE]
There's been MANY cases like this one, and there'll [B]ALWAYS[/B] be someone who does something similar yet with small differences in the method.
Piracy (as in copyright infringement) have existed for centuries and even the harshest measures couldn't deter it, only halt it slightly.
In the end it'll be much wiser to change to a business models that rewards legitimate customers instead of trying to punish [I]the bad guys[/I].
That way the average customer wont get wrongfully accused/hurt and only the pirates are left out in the cold.
In short: treat your paying customers as your friends, instead of treating copyright pirates as your mortal enemy.
What's next? Downloading a movie gets you a month?
[QUOTE=Jimpy;34314972]What's next? Downloading a movie gets you a month?[/QUOTE]
Don't give 'em any ideas now.
Did anyone read this bit?
[quote]Smith admitted that he made agreements with online advertising entities to generate income for the website, and he and his co-conspirators collected more than $500,000 during the website’s two-and-a-half years of operation. Smith kept $172,387 of the illegal proceeds for himself.[/quote]
It's not like he was doing this from his bedroom for the hell of it. That is quite a substantial amount of cash made from other people's content.
That isn't too much time. He will be out in less than a year anyways.
[QUOTE=Capitalist Dog;34315143][img]http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/402483_320304101343266_100000910362104_899508_643272867_n.jpg[/img][/QUOTE]
Is stealing alright if you steal from somebody rich? Is that a good way to base your morality?
1 year = 12 months.
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