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Pirate Gets Six Years; DOJ Gets His Stuff
SecurityProNews
Staff Writer
2006-08-28
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A software pirate received one of the longest sentences ever imposed for piracy in the United States, and got community service to boot. Of course, the only thing the Department of Justice hates more than theft, is flaunting your score.
Who knew you could get prison time and community service?
Danny Ferrer, 37, of Lakeland, Fla., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of criminal copyright infringement for selling pirated software through the mail. Ferrer copied and sold Adobe, Autodesk, and Macromedia software through his BUYUSA.com website, doing business since 2002. The website now redirects to BuyUSA.gov, a site for exporting and importing information. Uncle Sam appreciates the support.
He received a sentence of six years in prison, 50 hours of community service, was ordered to pay $4.1 million in restitution, and to forfeit all proceeds from the illegal operation.
While living in Florida, Ferrer flaunted his success, buying three airplanes, a helicopter, four sports cars, two SUVs, a yacht, an ambulance, and two fire trucks - because nothing says "indict me" more than a bunch of superfluous vehicles.
In addition to other assets, Ferrer will be losing:
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; an ambulance; and the proceeds from the sale of two fire trucks.
The DOJ says thanks for all the cool stuff.
"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.
BUYUSA.com was shut down in October of last year after an undercover FBI agent ordered the pirated software and received discs in the mail to a Virginia address. Ferrer sold the software at a fraction of the retail price, costing the victimized vendors nearly $20 million in lost sales.
"Modern day pirates ought to expect modern day penalties," said U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg of the Eastern District of Virginia. "We are very pleased with the sentence imposed today - one of the longest ever imposed for software piracy - and trust that it sends a strong message to those who pilfer the intellectual property of others."
Perhaps Ferrer should have taken a lesson from the now infamous Spam King, whose buried gold is sought after by AOL, and probably, quiet New England prospectors.
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