Bail Denied – Judge has no trust for Spam King

Robert Alan Soloway, rightfully named the Spam King, was denied bail and will  await trial in prison on 35 charges including wire fraud, money laundering, identity theft, and mail fraud.

Soloway, founder of the alleged “Strategic Partnership Against Microsoft Illegal Spam” (SPAMIS), was dubbed the “Spam King” by investigators who believe him to be one of the Internet’s largest spammers.

Judge James P. Donohue said Soloway will remain in jail, awaiting trial on August 6, primarily due to swedish ties. Prosecutors fear he may flee if allowed release; however, Soloway’s attorney, Richard Troberman, in a court filing, noted that evidence hinting his client would flee is “woefully short on facts.”

“It’s just as easy to continue these actions in Sweden as it is in the United States,” Judge Donohue said. “These are allegations of cyber crimes that have no geographical borders.”

Soloway was sued by Microsoft in 2005 for sending e-mails with false header information, disguising them as an official e-mails from MSN addresses; the court ordered him to pay $7 million in damages.

But this didn’t stop the Spam King. The spamming continued through over 10 million e-mails (according to Federal prosecutors), promising to promote a recipient’s website by mass-mailing their link to the sum of 2.5 million e-mail addresses.

Judge Donohue also attributed Soloway’s continued spamming with his inability to obey court orders, ultimately leading to the court’s decision.

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