AfterDawn: News

Twenty jailed in Italy for selling pirate CDs on eBay

Twenty individuals have been sentenced to jail time averaging at about eight months each following a trial in Udine for copyright infringement. The case emerged after a raid was carried out by he local Fiscal Police (GdF) acting on a warrant issued by the public prosecutor in 2007.

It involved the sale of compilation CDs on eBay, the world's largest auction site. The GdF, assisted by the Italian industry's anti-piracy organization FPM, had collected evidence of the massive distribution of infringing CD-ROMs which contained mp3 files downloaded from file-sharing networks.



More than 600,000 music tracks were found, and personal computers and CD burners were seized by police. The individuals are also facing up to €10 million in administrative sanctions.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 29 Apr 2009 22:38

• Previous article

• Apple boosting chip design capabilities

• Next article

• Disney now a partner in Hulu

• 19 comments

• mike.m

  It's a shame that the government is still more focused on stupid little things like pirated music, movies, etc when they should be focusing on more serious issues. Plus these people should not be fined €10M unless they made that much money off it, not because the music industries "say" they would of made that much money because of it.

  29.4.2009 23:15 #1

• ZippyDSM

  If bootlegging gains a profit then its a crime.
  
  If it dose not its not piracy but consumers saving their money.

  29.4.2009 23:34 #2

• cousinkix

  Let them harass these thieves instead of the people who aren't selling pirated music. No reason to bust anybody unless they are making a profit at somebody else's expense...

  29.4.2009 23:37 #3

• dragnandy

  although i agree with people who say that the government has more important issues than jailing pirates who sell CDs off ebay, i am surprised at the responses. i mean, what they did is indeed a crime and should they not be punished for it? just because there are more important issues out there in the world, doesnt make pirating CDs okay. its better they are doing little things like this than nothing at all, right?
  sure, the government screws up all the time and never really does the right thing, but its like you guys are just attacking the government because its the government. there is like no pleasing you guys, but hey that's the public right?

  30.4.2009 02:08 #4

• EricCarr

  These people are idiots. They deserve what they get. Selling on ebay?? Did they think they would not get caught? LOL.

  30.4.2009 02:12 #5

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by dragnandy: although i agree with people who say that the government has more important issues than jailing pirates who sell CDs off ebay, i am surprised at the responses. i mean, what they did is indeed a crime and should they not be punished for it? just because there are more important issues out there in the world, doesnt make pirating CDs okay. its better they are doing little things like this than nothing at all, right?
  sure, the government screws up all the time and never really does the right thing, but its like you guys are just attacking the government because its the government. there is like no pleasing you guys, but hey that's the public right?Ya but in the grand scheme of things its the same level of crime as sharing information, so some will side with them regardless.
  
  I see the crime in this and even in what torrent trackers/sites do, however those that sell media without a proper licenses are defacto criminals and should be seen as the thieves they are.

  30.4.2009 02:13 #6

• beanos66

  Originally posted by EricCarr: These people are idiots. They deserve what they get. Selling on ebay?? Did they think they would not get caught? LOL.And the people buying these off ebay are even bigger idiots.
  
  With the internet account they use to access ebay they could get their music for free

  30.4.2009 07:14 #7

• gallagher

  It depends on how they were selling it on ebay. I bought a rare CD several years ago for my collection and it was a fake. Sure, it had the music on it, but that is not why I bought it. Nowhere did it say it was a fake.
  
  That is like selling me a rare comic book and when I get it, it is a photocopy. So these guys may have been scamming people out of money as well. Depends on how they were advertising it, like I said.
  
  As a sidenote, I contacted the guy and made sure he gave my money back. Some though may not be as cooperative.

  30.4.2009 09:44 #8

• tefarko

  these guys will never learn: it is illegal to sell pirate stuff without giving the politicians their share...

  30.4.2009 10:34 #9

• meta1

  Well, they were stupid enough to get caught. Enough said.
  

  
  

  30.4.2009 12:23 #10

• hermes_vb

  Just one word: IDIOTS!

  30.4.2009 14:06 #11

• duke8888

  mamma mia

  30.4.2009 14:12 #12

• MightyOne

  It could have been worse. It could have been me !

  30.4.2009 16:26 #13

• KillerBug

  It's about time! I too have bought rare, out or print CDs from eBay because I could not find them elsewhere...they are almost always pirated! It's the fault of the sellers, but ultimately I blame the copywrite holders for refusing to print these CDs.

  1.5.2009 03:56 #14

• badmanvan

  What can i say....GREEDY MUPPETTS!!!! serves them right....

  1.5.2009 09:57 #15

• maryfeet

  It is a known fact that all the kids are filling their home computers with pirated downloads. Can any officer say " no my kids are not downloading?" Is it against law? They dont make money out of it. Making CDs and selling somebody's property is not correct.

  1.5.2009 10:26 #16

• Morreale

  Originally posted by mike.m: It's a shame that the government is still more focused on stupid little things like pirated music, movies, etc when they should be focusing on more serious issues. Plus these people should not be fined €10M unless they made that much money off it, not because the music industries "say" they would of made that much money because of it.If you've ever been to Italy, you'd know that this is one of their biggest problems. Another being the illegals that are doing the pirating :P
  
  The piracy in Italy is redonculous... The black illegals will stalk you for blocks to sell you fake designer purses, watches, belt buckles, even pens. I will give them credit though, they're very organized lmao

  1.5.2009 17:09 #17

• blueboy09

  BUSTED and got caught at the same time not good :b - BLUEBOY

  2.5.2009 06:23 #18

• Unlockneo

  i don't download bootleg stuff no more
  i just buy them on craigslist
  software
  game
  movie
  etc.
  i just got Photoshop CS4, After Effects, Sony Vegas Pro 8 professional, etc.
  still loving bootleg

  2.5.2009 08:11 #19