[x-pubpol] Operation Fake Sweep

[Joly MacFie]

[How is linking "streaming"? Doesn't say embed.  j]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
<ice.dhs at service.govdelivery.com>
Date: Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Subject: Michigan man arrested for illegally streaming live sporting
events over the Internet


Michigan man arrested for illegally streaming live sporting events
over the Internet

16 websites that distributed copyrighted sporting events also seized –
coincides with Operation Fake Sweep

NEW YORK – A Michigan man has been charged with criminal copyright
infringement related to his operation of websites that illegally
streamed live sporting event telecasts and pay-per-view events over
the Internet. In a related action, 16 websites were seized. These
sites illegally distributed copyrighted sporting events – including
nine of the 16 which were operated by this individual. This
investigation is being conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the the
National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR
Center).

Yonjo Quiroa, 28, of Comstock Park, Mich., was arrested yesterday and
operated nine of the 16 websites that were seized. The arrest and
website seizures coincide with Operation Fake Sweep, which was
announced earlier today in Indianapolis. This nationwide enforcement
operation targeting stores, flea markets and street vendors selling
counterfeit National Football League (NFL) game-related sportswear
throughout the country. Special agents and officers also targeted
illegal counterfeit imports into the United States, and seized
hundreds of websites engaged in counterfeiting and piracy online. More
information on this operation is available by clicking here.
http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1202/120202indianapolis.htm

<snip>

In 2010 and 2011, Quiroa registered nine of the 16 seized domain
names, and he operated the websites out of his home in Michigan until
his arrest. Quiroa received profits of at least $13,000 from online
merchants who paid him, through Internet advertising brokers, to
advertise on at least one of the linking sites that he operated.

The 16 websites seized provided access to illegal, pirated telecasts
of sporting events of the NFL, the National Basketball Association
(NBA), the National Hockey League (NHL), World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE), and the TNA Impact Wrestling (TNA) – all of which hold the
copyrights to the televised broadcasts of their respective sporting
events.

The seized sites were popular "linking" sites – a type of website that
provides access, or links, to other websites that hosted pirated
sporting and pay-per-view events. At such sites, users simply click on
a link to begin the process of downloading or streaming an illegal
broadcast of a sporting event to their own computer. These illegal
broadcasts are from a third party website that is hosting the stream.
Linking websites are popular because they allow users to quickly
browse content and locate illegal streams that would otherwise be more
difficult to find.

As authorized by the warrant, all visitors to these websites are being
redirected to a banner that advises them that the domain name has been
seized in connection with criminal copyright violations.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York will
seek to have the domain names for the seized websites forfeited.

<snip>

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Joly MacFie  218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast
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