Hansmeier’s firm specialized in pursuing copyright claims on pornographic films–films they’d sometimes produce themselves, then upload to file-sharing websites.
A Minneapolis judge has sentenced attorney Paul Hansmeier to 14 years in prison, following the lawyer’s dirty crusade against pornography.
Hansmeier, reports ARS Technica, was involved in an ‘elaborate’ scheme centering on copyright claims. Working with several colleagues, Hansmeier would upload pornography videos to file-sharing websites and applications. When people downloaded them—usually without paying for content—Hansmeier would track them down and threaten litigation.
“It’s almost incalculable how much your abuse of trust has harmed the administration of justice,” Judge Joan Ericksen said at Hansmeier’s Friday hearing.
According to Technica¸ Hansmeier’s firm—Prenda Law—has been in the business of deceit for years. Reports of Prenda’s “porn trolling” first began surfacing in 2012, as Hansmeier and his partner, John Steele, began waging war on copyright-infringing adult torrents.
Prenda wasn’t the only firm chasing down file-sharers. But it was one of a very few to begin setting traps to boost its profits.
Not only did Prenda upload adult films to file-sharing networks, it, in some cases, produced its own smut.
Infringement claims would be sent out to anyone who could be tracked. Prenda would offer to settle for a few thousand dollars—amounts Technica suggests are enough to pull a profit but less than potential defendants would have to spend fighting the claims in court.
The bizarre scheme made Hansmeier and Steele more than $6 million between 2010 and 2013.
File-sharing blog TorrentFreak adds that Prenda didn’t discriminate in who it sent infringement notices to. Guilt was a question beside profit, meaning that individuals and households not complicit could still receiving threatening notices.
In court, Hansmeier tried to deflect blame from himself.
“When challenged by judges around the country, Hansmeier blamed other lawyers who were hired to file lawsuits on his behalf, lied to the courts about his own involvement, and ordered the destruction of evidence,” notes the Minneapolis Star.
Federal prosecutors characterized Hansmeier’s defense as systematically deceptive.
“The way he abused the court to line his pockets is outrageous,” said prosecutor Benjamin Langner. “And when he got caught, his conduct got worse.”
Ericksen, adds the Star Tribune, considered exceeding sentencing guidelines. But the judge ultimately opted to impose the greatest typical sentence, followed by two years of supervised release.
Hansmeier’s victims will also receive about $1.5 million in restitution—an amount the judge said was but a “conservative toll” for his crimes, adding that financial damage was “not even a major part of the harm.”
“The major harm here is what happens when a lawyer acts as a wrecking ball,” Ericksen said.
Sources
‘Copyright Troll’ Lawyer Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison
Minneapolis lawyer who ran porn trolling scheme gets 14 years in prison
Porn trolling mastermind Paul Hansmeier gets 14 years in prison
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