Man sentenced to 46 months in prison for piracy – Microsoft applauds
By George Gardner
Microsoft applauded the efforts of Georgia officials as they sentenced Justin Harrison of Georgia to 46 months in prison for piracy.
Harrison was previously convicted of trafficking illicit software labels for a wide range of Microsoft products such as Windows XP and Windows 2000. The Georgia man sold software to customers, tricking them into believing they were purchasing a genuine Microsoft product.
United States District Judge Orinda D. Evans sentenced Harrison to 46 months in prison; Microsoft issued a statement, saying, “this case should serve as a strong message to others that distributing illicit software certificates is a criminal act that can result in a significant prison term.”
Microsoft applauds the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their efforts to protect consumers and intellectual property in the first prosecution under the Anti-Counterfeiting Amendments. The sentence recognizes the value of intellectual property and the threat that software piracy presents to the global economy and consumers throughout the world.
Harrison would make copies of Microsoft products and sell them through his business, Sales International, where he made a cool quarter of a million dollars through his illegal efforts.
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August 9th, 2007
Why is this scumbag fined only $25,000 when they say he made over a quater million. 46 months in prison isn’t enough. Besides Justin is the worlds bigist asshole anyway. He’ll enjoy being in prison.
September 27th, 2007
that’s most like just the federal fine, along with the jailtime, for all the fraud-related convictions. microsoft could easily sue on top of that for however much he made off the illegal copies, i’m guessing, so i’m sure the $25k is just the first of many (likely larger) monetary hits this guy will be taking
September 29th, 2007
I am against people duping others to buy illegitimate software. Mind you, having to distribute freely for testing purposes or educational purposes without proper licensing should not have the same kind of hefty fine. With the way Microsoft is headed with their new and unimproved unsecure and “spyware-friendly(Auto-update)” software, having to encourage people distributing it would constitute the following rephrase:
“this case should serve as a strong message to others that distributing or endorsing Microsoft is almost criminal act in itself”
Just my opinion. Go linux.
April 12th, 2008
Linux is french for i enjoy it up the ass 5000 times a day.
Thats why you like linux.