Top Site Kingpin Disappears Into The Sunset

[GhostShip]

I must say I,m rather pleased with this as it leaves the tough talking FBI behind as a big joke designed to scare infants.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/US-hunts-accused-Aussie-internet-pirate/2006/02/23/1140563884153.html

O'Toole, the alleged mastermind of an international internet piracy ring, was expected to appear in the US District Court in Chicago to face one count of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement and one count of copyright infringement.
If convicted he faces up to eight years in an American jail.

O'Toole was charged earlier this month with 18 other defendants from the US and Barbados after a two-year international law enforcement sting codenamed Operation Site Down.

US authorities named O'Toole, who allegedly went by the nickname "Chucky", the de facto leader of the underground piracy group RISCISO.
The group is accused of copying and sharing pirated films, software and video games through password-protected sites on the internet.

RISCISO allegedly downloaded 19,000 gigabytes of software, computer games and movies with a total retail value in excess of $US6.5 million.
Of the 19 arrested, just O'Toole and Linda Waldron of Barbados have failed to appear in the Chicago court.

For those new to winmx dont panic  
The sites mentioned above are what are called "Top Sites" that get newly released content and distribute it across the internet for fun, but due to the illegality of their actions they are always fighting the authorities in a cat and mouse game.

Its a little like Robin Hood, in that the poor get to see the latest movies for nothing and the rich get a preview (and usually end up buying it as they know how good it was).
There are many studies that show file sharers often purchase equal amounts and in most cases more media content than normal non p2p users but its easier to blame file sharers and top site operators for losses occrued during the phase of trying to shift an inferior product onto the public.

It seems the publics wish to preview something before they purchase it is the real casualty here, after all who wants to watch a peice of rubbish, and dont expect the studios to tell you when the peice of rubbish is doing the rounds.

(PS enjoy this track released at the time of the Site closures  

http://www.welcometotehscene.com/tribute.php

Please dont download if easily offended   )

[Lysander]

This isn't gonna be the end of the story. You don't honestly expect that people can just not show up to their court date leaving the FBI to scratch its head and go "Well... we tried!" do you? If that waas true everyone would run.

[GhostShip]

Tell that to Bin Laden and the other folks who seem not to care about the FBI,s reputation.
Relying on turncoats means your system runs dry rather fast and lets face it thats all they seem to do.

This guy will be safe as long as he does not contact any of his old groups.

[Lysander]

...Are you comparing Osama Bin Laden to a software pirate?

Right, I'm Godwin-ing this thread.

[GhostShip]

The comparison is valid the FBI are only as good as the informers they cultivate, in both cases they have made no progress as they have no informers .

This alleged illegal software distributor (we like to be honest here) is probably buying a well deserved beer and laughing at the "big shots" at the FBI.
 
Lets see em do their best at catching a small guy, while terrosrists roam free due to their ineptitude.

[Lysander]

You're assuming they have no informants. They found the guy in the first place somehow, after all.

[GhostShip]

Ah yes via his ISP..

I hope they have more than this to go on.

My own personal opinion is really simple let folks like the FBI catch murderers of people, not killers of profit.

The fact is the law has plenty of ways to deal with this type of activity and using a club hammer on a walnut shows its more politics than crime prevention.