By Will Sturgeon, 19 May 2006 12:35
NEWS
Microsoft has announced that a UK-based software pirate who allegedly traded more than £3.5m of counterfeit Microsoft software has finally ceased trading.
William Ling was arrested and prosecuted in May 2005 for the sale of illegal software. At the time the court handed him a £10,000 fine, which a Microsoft spokesman said was laughable.
However, Microsoft claims Ling was back trading in counterfeit software from a commercial premises in Kingston-Upon-Thames within two months and hit him with a £12m civil suit for damages based on lost revenues that it calculated.
The Microsoft spokesman claimed Ling had made £1m in profit from his operation.
Today the software giant announced that Ling has made an out-of-court settlement, agreeing to pay substantial damages. He has also given an undertaking not to sell any illegal Microsoft software.
Paul Ramsden, deputy CEO at the Trading Standards Institute, said the victory of Microsoft over Ling represents a win for consumers, as well as for the US software giant, as users who buy knock-off software often have little idea what they could be exposing themselves to when installing illegal software.
Microsoft's news follows an announcement on Wednesday from software giants McAfee and Symantec that they also are aggressively targeting software pirates selling counterfeit software on eBay.
Comments
There is 1 comment. Join the discussion
1. James Button
But - what it really needs is for the courts to require fraudsters to fully recompense those that they have defrauded, and not be let out of prison until they have done so!.
That way (in this and similar cases) all those who were sold counterfiet software get the money to allow them to buy a proper version.
It would also apply to counterfiet clothing, perfume music CD's etc.
Until the courts start making it financially costly to defraud the public, people are still going to take the large profits against the risk of a small fine, and short 'holiday' at the countries expense.
£10,000,000 in the bank, a 4 week holiday, and 'community service' where you get access to a list of those needing help is so much more worth the effort than being made bankrupt, and having all proceeds of the offence(s) confiscated.