Releaselog

US scener jailed for 30 months

Posted on 02.05.2008 at 11:50 in Tech News by Martin

A bad news came today from American Department of Justice: A US man has been jailed for 30 months for copyright infringement over his involvement in the warez scene. David M. Fish, 26, of Woodbury, Connecticut, was further sentenced to three years on probation this week after he pleaded guilty to criminal copyright infringement and circumvention offences. The computer equipment used by Fish to commit the offences was forfeited. Fish served as the site operator as well as a scripter, equipment supplier, broker and encoder for warez sites between January 2003 and July 2005, according to court papers. His work involved circumventing copyright controls on DVDs and uploading content.

In the Southern District of Iowa case, Fish participated in a separate warez site from Jan. 21, 2003, through April 21, 2004. The warez server used in this case was determined to contain approximately 13,000 pirated software titles including movies, games, utility software and music. Transfer logs confirm that defendant Fish assisted in the uploading of 131 software titles and downloading 373 software titles to and from the warez FTP server.

The case is part of Operation Copycat, an investigation by the FBI and the US Attorney’s Office targeting online warez groups that illegally distribute newly-released movies, games, software and music online. Operation Copycat has resulted in 40 convictions thus far as part of a larger federal crackdown against the illegal distribution of copyrighted materials, known as Operation Site Down. Affected groups included such names as MYTH, Centropy, HOODLUM, VENGEANCE or Corrupt.

Source: USDOJ

Comments (133)

Feel free to post your US scener jailed for 30 months torrent, subtitles, samples, free download, quality, NFO, Rapidshare, crack, serial, requirements or whatever-related comments here. Don't be rude (permban), use only English, don't go offtopic and read FAQ before asking a question. Owners of this website aren't responsible for content of comments.
Pages: « 1 [2]
  1. Clarify for fools
    May 2nd, 2008 | 21:32

    He was sentenced to 30 months in prison with an additional 3 years supervised release to follow upon release from prison. He is going to prison for 2 1/2 years and serving 85% of the time in federal prison. Some of you jerks have no idea what is happening at all in the real world. Give the man his respect.He could have probably snitched his way out of the time but instead he chose to be a man.

  2. Nocturne
    May 2nd, 2008 | 21:38

    @91 MPAA-Fan, I feel sorry for your dad, and I agree with you that most filmmakers have a hard time making it if its outside the studio system. I also agree with your point that piracy is harming the film industry. However, as others have pointed out, piracy is helping the major studios because people anyway pay to see those movies, and those who download those commercial films probably also buys them. So its like, I don´t know, only the little guys like your dad who suffers. But heck, I would recommend your dad to change his line of work. Problem solved.

    Also, though I say piracy is bad, I won´t stop DL movies:D Sorry!

    -n0c-

  3. Grockos
    May 2nd, 2008 | 21:42

    I support you MPAA-fan. When dad lost job, he went crazy. I understand where you come from. Its very hard with parentz. But they will make it, I think. Keep it real..!

  4. StreetPsyko
    May 2nd, 2008 | 21:43

    @101

    You are right… and keep in mind that fed prison is SO much better than state. But I have a nice solutions to fukcing them commercial a**holes right where it counts… In their pockets.

    I am currently working on a real time RPG that will put GTA and True Crime to shame. This game is my OWN original intellectual property, which means that I can do whatever I want to with it. (I need some talented programmers and animators by the way)

    I plan on releasing it as a 5$ download with no need for cracks or keygens. It will be licensed for UNLIMITED duplication and distribution as well. Basically, it will be shareware in the TRUEST sense of the term. :D

  5. StreetPsyko
    May 2nd, 2008 | 21:48

    I know what it is like to be turned down on every employment app just for someone less qualified to take the position because I made a few mistakes in my past… and I know what it is like to struggle to get by and have to pick the lesser of many evils to make a few bucks in order to get by.

    This game will be available for the hustlas to dupe and sell in the STREETS and hopefully allow a couple kids the chance to live their lives without getting hooked on some of those Greater evils. Personally, I plan on burning several copies and selling them for about 20$ a piece, I know that there is enough money out there to be made that way. I am employed NOW, but not in the professional type position that I have skills for… I get to do manual labor for the rest of my life it seems, but oh well, at least I can make a few extra bucks on the side. :D

  6. John Doe
    May 2nd, 2008 | 22:30

    Well now i’m not so sure what thought i’m gonna entertain as who this MPAA-fan person is. First on his post #73 he said he is a “Market Analyst” and then now on his post #100 he is replying to post #97 that he is a “14 year old” boy. Not unless he is a “genius” or a “whiz kid” to be able to become a market analyst at age 14 then he would’ve prabaly have given his Dad an idea on how to market his own film. Hmmmmm. Something in me is tingling. lol.

  7. Pancho Villa
    May 2nd, 2008 | 22:45

    #106

    MPAA-fan PWN3D.

    LOL

  8. OrthodoxAtheist
    May 2nd, 2008 | 22:48

    @MPAA-fan… Munchausen’s syndrome? No better way to get people writing to you than to give yourself that name. :)

    I’m sorry your dad is having trouble finding financing, but if he is being told pirating is the cause, then he is not being told the truth.

    The truth is it is easier than ever to find financing if you have a good idea. More movies in this decade and just prior have been released and been huge box office successes on a budget than every prior decade put together in tinseltown’s history. $100,000 budgets can regularly lead to many millions at the box office. While I may not be as… harsh… as some who have commented previously, I agree that your dad’s work/script/vision is the problem and not pirating. :|

    * The Blair Witch Project. Budget $60,000. Gross $248,639,099 world wide.

    * Napoleon Dynamite. Budget $400,000. Gross $46,140,956 worldwide.

  9. paulo
    May 2nd, 2008 | 22:51

    30 months?

    interesting. it’s almost the same you get in portugal for killing or rape.

  10. Terrible one
    May 2nd, 2008 | 22:52

    The world never stops turning, minds advance, technology changes, the elders profit off our country which they create for the youth, youth has no boundaries, we grow up changing the rules, and sometimes the biggest sacrifice one can give is his or her freedom. Fish will not be able to get the those thirty months back but it must feel good to turn the earth just a fraction….

  11. The Voice
    May 2nd, 2008 | 23:34

    In the eyes of the government the internet IS a virus which they cannot control.

    Do you think the governments are stealing information, while us mortals download a few measly films to watch?

    *Puts on tin foil hat*

  12. 0RT3G4
    May 3rd, 2008 | 00:17

    @106
    MPAA-Fan POWNED !
    And about this kid, just stop being so smart cause you aren’t :)

  13. Debbie
    May 3rd, 2008 | 00:21

    I think it would be wise not to submit this site to digg, although there are no torrents on site. The publicity might not be a good idea. Just a thought.

  14. Fuk your country
    May 3rd, 2008 | 00:32

    just cause ur country is out of its mind when it comes to sentancing i say rapists get the death penalty is good but thats just me. dont compare your 3rd world country portugal to the mighty USA

  15. Kanote
    May 3rd, 2008 | 00:53

    - Seems like David will be sleeping 30 months with the fishes.

    - The fish got caught and gutted.

    - I think we have fish on the menu tonight!

    - This little fishy went to market…

    - I smell something fishy..:D

  16. El Padrino
    May 3rd, 2008 | 02:33

    It’s sad but true, many will disagree with me but this will never end as there will be another person taking his place in a heart beat! of course with more caution… not that said i just hope they don’t go for all the guys that do the same thing at once or else we all would be screwed.

  17. kingpinz2003
    May 3rd, 2008 | 02:39

    This is a thought: The Future of the movie industry will see films maintaining better quality and x-fer will be done digitally, bypassing the most expensive part of film- film itself! so theres another billion dollars made by upgrading. Now in 2009 there will be nothing but HD. start to see the picture? Use the Old signals n broadcast on the old pre HD signals -not piracy if its broadcasted on old network thrown away. cant get in trouble for the signal being available. hmmm

  18. :-)
    May 3rd, 2008 | 03:00

    @ 19

    where in the bible does it say its a sin to SHARE “copyrighted” material (not stealing a physical object), if anyone is disobeying god it is you for being an ignorant fool and following senseless and harsh laws that take away a human’s freedom and put them in a cage like an animal around a bunch of murderers, rapist and all the other crazy people you find in jail, if you think that is what god intended then you are pretty screwed up in the head… moron.

  19. goldfinger007
    May 3rd, 2008 | 04:02

    my only wish is that the agencies involved would put in at least the same or surpass the efforts of piracy, into something much more legitimate like child pornography. Apparently money is the only factor that has the greatest of concerns. there’s none to be made in human suffering.

  20. Cloud13\\
    May 3rd, 2008 | 07:36

    Usernet and other download services, seems to become a nice and sweet alternative.

  21. dosguy
    May 3rd, 2008 | 07:51

    @MPAA-fan:

    For your information, “piracy”, as you call it, actually INCREASES revenue for quality movies while doing the opposite for crappy ones. It’s like this: Most downloaders don’t, for obvious reasons, let it be widely known that they download stuff. If someone downloads a really good movie, they will tell their friends and co-workers who are then likely to pay to go see it. Therefore, movies will, over the long-run, only become better, thanks to people spreading the word about quality products. And if you think, like the MPAA would have you believe, that downloaders are costing the industry money due to lost revenue, that is absolute bullsh*t. If downloading were to become impossible, most “pirates” would never pay the ridiculous prices at the box office.

    So, little boy, or whatever you are, you obviously have quite a few things to learn. And not using a nickname like MPAA-fan on a board like this would be a good place to start.

  22. Milo
    May 3rd, 2008 | 08:11

    Waaaaaah I went to jail cause I did something illegal, waaaah!

  23. Rekrul
    May 3rd, 2008 | 08:25

    To MPAA-Fan,

    Here are my thoughts on the issue;

    Piracy *MIGHT* take some money away from the movie industry, but nowhere near as much as they claim. They think that if ten people download a movie, that means that they lost ten sales, and that’s how they come up with the “billions” that they’re supposedly losing each year. The truth is that out of those ten people, maybe one of them would have bough the movie if they couldn’t download it.

    I’ve only been able to download movies for about a year and a half. Before that I had dialup, which was too slow for downloading anything large. I’ve never bought a lot of movies or gone to the theater that often. In the decade before getting DSL, I probably went to the theater maybe 6-7 times. I own exactly one Hollywood movie on DVD (Serenity), and one TV series box set (Firefly). Before that, I just waited for them to turn up on the premoum movie channels (which I do pay for).

    If the ease of piracy is responsible for people not paying for movies, why wasn’t I buying movies back when I couldn’t download them?

    The MPAA claims that piracy is killing the movie industry, but yet 2007 was a record-breaking year for them. How can both be true?

    A DVD costs something like $0.25 to produce (when manufactured in bulk like the studios do), so why do movies sell for $20-30? Why do box sets of TV shows sell for about $50 a season or $150 for the entire series?

    Why don’t the studios set up digital stores and sell AVI copies of movies for $2 each? People who want the extras can buy the DVD, people who just want the movies can download them. You might say that if they did that, people would pirate them. They’re doing that already. Why not give people a legal alternative that has all the advantages that the pirate versions do?

    Case in point; I’ve been looking for the unrated version of Eurotrip. There’s a copy on the eDonkey2000 network, but I can tell by the number of sources that it will take at least a couple days to download. Also, there’s no guarantee that it’s really the unrated version as I’ve been duped before by “unrated” versions. If I could pay $2 and be guaranteed of downloading a good quality, DRM free version, I’ll seriously consider it.

    Even if it didn’t make a completely honest customer out of me, at the very least I’d use it occasionally for stuff that I have a hard time finding on my own, like Eurotrip unrated.

    Think about it for a second; The internet is the greatest distribution medium ever invented. Encoding films and putting them online as AVI files costs next to nothing (although the bandwidth to download them does). Is there any reason other than greed that studios haven’t put their entire movie catalogs up as digital downloads for sale? Well, I suppose the licensing agreements for music and characters and other things would keep some films off the list, but then again, I’d file that under greed as well. If there weren’t such restrictive laws about the use of copyrighted material, it wouldn’t take them years to straighten out the music rights and such.

    The copyright laws have gotten so restrictive and convoluted that studios can own the rights to dozens of movies, but not have the right to release them on DVD because the licensing deals for the music didn’t include DVD rights. Those rights then have to be re-negotiated or the music has to be replaced, often destroying the atmosphere of the movie.

    A good example of this is the 1981 movie Heavy Metal. The soundtrack was released on LP in 1981, but not on CD until 1995. Not only that, but the movie itself wasn’t released on home video until 1996 because negotiating the music rights took over 15 years!

    Add to this the ridiculous salaries paid to some “stars”. Does Tom Cruise really need to be paid $5,000,000 for being in a movie?

    There’s so much more that the movie industry is doing to tilt things more in their favor; Broadcast flags to control what you can record from TV, longer copyright terms, higher penalties for copyright infringement (they feel the $150,000 per movie/song isn’t enough), the right to seize and keep any hardware used in the commission of copyright infringement (which could theoretically include the family computer if junior uses it to download music/movies), making copyright infringement a *CRIMINAL* offense so that they would no longer have to foot the bill for suing people (instead the US tax payers would foot the bill for the Department of Justice to prosecute file sharers), brainwashing people into believing that *ALL* movies and music are copyrighted and that it’s *NEVER* ok to download them (they don’t want people to know about the concept of works becoming Public Domain), and more.

  24. The Voice
    May 3rd, 2008 | 10:27

    I thought this Log was just another red herring april fools joke. I then realised its now may, so this article is in the right plaice.

    I suppose he wont be playing COD 4 much now and will be someones whitebait.

    tut, listen to me carping on….

  25. Kanote
    May 3rd, 2008 | 13:11

    Why pay for something when you can get it for free? :D

  26. LOL
    May 3rd, 2008 | 13:13

    So the scene is not that safe after all! Warez! Bleah! You have to pay also for the pirated software! LOL! Torrents are safer! In Europe at least!

  27. jaybee
    May 3rd, 2008 | 14:38

    It’s bad news for you
    One less sceener, means one less movie for the public, Thats the democratic part of it.
    You cant turn back time, As a senior court judge
    I must favor uploads, Instead of corporate business

  28. R
    May 3rd, 2008 | 23:23

    now stfu. lets made some uploads.ok MPAA Fan whats your email so i send u some links.

  29. Theodore
    May 4th, 2008 | 02:17

    Hehehe “I am not naive, I am 14″

  30. witness
    May 4th, 2008 | 12:49

    it won’t be too long until warez is no more i’d say, and im all for it!!! we will actually need to work and earn the money to pay for everything! in which we all should now anyway and support those who take time to develop what we want!

  31. toxi
    May 4th, 2008 | 13:30

    Witness you are wrong. The warez scene will just be pushed back further underground, like it was b4 the riaa opened pandora’s box with the napster incident.

  32. Philippines
    May 4th, 2008 | 19:53

    You guys should transfer to Asia or some other place where anti-copyright infringement measures don’t exist. Take for example my home country, Philippines. Pirated movie vendors line up the streets in public view.

  33. ^ ^
    May 5th, 2008 | 18:48

    Sad news Indeed
    Fukin feds

Pages: « 1 [2]

Your Ad Here

Leave a reply

Hot info about new scene releases!