WASHINGTON, July 23 OR-software-thief
WASHINGTON, July 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An Oregon man was sentenced
today for selling counterfeit computer software with a retail value of more
than $1 million, and for aggravated identity theft and mail fraud, announced
Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division Matthew Friedrich
and U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Karin J. Immergut.
Jeremiah Joseph Mondello, 23, of Eugene, Ore., was sentenced to four years
in prison for criminal copyright infringement, aggravated identity theft and
mail fraud. For the aggravated identity theft conviction, Mondello was
sentenced to a mandatory 24 months in prison, which will be served
consecutively with the 24 month prison sentence he received for his criminal
copyright infringement and mail fraud convictions. U.S. District Court Judge
Ann L. Aiken also ordered Mondello to three years of supervised release and to
perform 450 hours of community service following his release from prison.
Mondello forfeited more than $225,000 in cash proceeds from the copyright
infringement and computer-related equipment used to commit the crime.
According to documents filed in court, between December 2005 and October
2007, Mondello initiated thousands of separate online auctions, using more
than 40 fictitious usernames and online payment accounts to sell copies of
counterfeit software, and received illicit money from those sales. Mondello
generated more than $400,000 in personal profit as a result of these sales.
Mondello admitted to stealing individuals' personal information and using
the stolen identities to establish online payment accounts. Mondello acquired
victims' names, bank account numbers and passwords by using a computer
keystroke logger program. The keystroke logger program installed itself on
victims' computers and recorded the victim's name and bank account information
as the information was being typed. The program then electronically sent the
information back to Mondello which he then used to establish the online
payment accounts.
"Some criminals may view online auctions as an anonymous means to sell
stolen intellectual property, but this case proves that law enforcement can
identify and prosecute offenders who attempt such schemes," said Acting
Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich. "The Department's initiative to
combat online auction piracy targets those who enter the online marketplace
with unclean hands."
"The severity of the sentence sends a clear message that persons who
illegally deal in intellectual property will be held accountable. This was a
very sophisticated copyright infringement case and we appreciate the
investigative assistance of the Software and Information Industry Association
and Immigration and Customs Enforcement," said U.S. Attorney Karin J. Immergut
This case is part of the Department of Justice's ongoing initiative to
combat online auction piracy. Including today's sentencing, the Department has
secured 29 convictions involving online auction and commercial distribution of
counterfeit software. The Department's initiative to combat online auction
piracy is just one of several steps being undertaken to address the losses
caused by intellectual property theft and hold responsible those engaged in
criminal copyright infringement.
Mondello's case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement's Cyber Crimes Center and offices in Seattle, Portland, Ore., and
Medford, Ore. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Marc Miller of
the Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and
Sean B. Hoar, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. The Software
and Information Industry Association, a trade association which represents
leading computer software companies, provided assistance to the investigation.
CRM
(202) 514-2007
TDD (202) 514-1888
WWW.USDOJ.GOV
SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice
