AfterDawn: News

Mininova uploader gets probation

Jack Yates, an employee of an LA DVD duplication company, made a private copy of Paramount's 2008 flop The Love Guru before the movie hit theaters, and decided to distribute it to his family and some friends.

One promotional copy was supposed to be created for the Jay Leno show, but Yates made two copies instead. He was captured on surveillance camera however, and in 2008, Yates pleaded guilty to the theft and was sentenced to six months in prison.



One of the friends he distributed the film to decided to upload it to public torrent tracker Mininova, and this week Mischa Wynhausen has pleaded guilty to uploading the copy and was sentenced to three years probation.

While Wynhausen’s was much more severe than that of Yates, Yates initially lied to authorities and denied the crime. They then promptly showed him video of his theft. Wynhausen cooperated from the outset.

Regardless of the pre-release upload, the Love Guru was a complete flop, both critically and at the box office where it only made $40 million worldwide with a production budget over $60 million.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 3 Jan 2010 16:22

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• 6 comments

• NINVIN21

  Well since the Movie Flopped they have to get there money back somehow.
  I think there just mad That there movie Flopped.
  I'm surprised they didn't Blame the whole flop on this guy and say he lost them billion's.
  
  Why should Jay Get a copy and no one else. That's bull If he needed it for a show they could have cut 30 second's for him It's Paramount's Dumb Fault.
  
  And why is the LA DVD duplication company Helping Paramount? what they don't know how to copy a DVD.

  3.1.2010 16:43 #1

• Clownzill

  At least get arrested for stealing something good. Getting busted for stealing Love Guru is an insult to thieves everywhere.

  3.1.2010 17:03 #2

• cyprusrom

  Originally posted by NINVIN21: ...
  
  And why is the LA DVD duplication company Helping Paramount? what they don't know how to copy a DVD.A duplicate is not a burned copy)))Paramount doesn't know how to use DVDFab!
  
  

  
  Piss me off, and I Will ignore You!

  3.1.2010 17:08 #3

• jony218

  6 months in prision, 3 years probation even muggers don't get such harsh penalties. Thats a very stiff penalty for the "love guru".

  4.1.2010 00:29 #4

• emugamer

  Don't share with family or friends.

  4.1.2010 12:34 #5

• chrialex

  I think the reason he got such a stiff penalty was to teach him a lesson. Like some of you stated, it was the Love Guru for crying out loud! Maybe next time he copies something he will copy something worth the cost of the blank DVD at least...

  7.1.2010 09:01 #6