Police have opened a criminal investigation into a Russian couple accused of breaching the law on intellectual property rights to the tune of $1.25 billion, Interfax reported Monday.
The unidentified couple registered a file-sharing web site, Interfilm, hosted it on a Dutch server, and uploaded several dozen pirated movies onto it, the report said, citing the Interior Ministry's Investigative Committee.
In 2007 and 2008, Interfilm was one of the most popular torrent-tracker web sites, with so many pirated movies downloaded through it that their combined license agreements would cost 38.7 billion rubles, investigators said.
Investigators have tracked down about two dozen of the most active users of the web site and are considering opening criminal cases against those who kept large numbers of pirated movies on their personal computers.
Boosting efforts to fight piracy is a major U.S. demand as Russia negotiates its entry into the World Trade Organization.
In Russia, the violation of intellectual property rights is punishable by up to five years in prison.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.