VanityKillz's Journal: U.S. Prosecutors Charge Piracy 'Kingpin'

U.S. Prosecutors Charge Piracy 'Kingpin' By Staff Feb 22, 2007 U.S. prosecutors in Virginia have extradited one of the first suspects allegedly involved with several large international Web pirate groups. Hew Raymond Griffiths, from Bateau Bay, Australia, appeared in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va. -- charged with one count of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement and one count of criminal copyright infringement, Variety said Thursday. The maximum sentence for conviction on both counts would be 10 years in prison and $500,000 in fines. The U.S. Justice Department said Griffiths led a global criminal group known as DrinkOrDie, founded in Russia in 1993. Before more than 70 raids in five countries effectively dismantled DrinkOrDie, the operation was estimated to have been involved with more than "$50 million worth of pirated software, movies, games and music," the department said in a release. Griffiths was also was a leader of "the underground Internet piracy community, also known as the warez scene," the department said, holding several leadership roles in warez groups. Griffiths was indicted in the United States in 2003. He fought extradition from Australia. (c) UPI More articles from: Staff © Copyright 2004-2007 by Post Chronicle Corp.