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Lawyer Uploads To File Sharing Sites To Sue Downloaders

File sharing websites are quite popular. For some, they provide a gateway for moving files across systems and users that are too large for conventional methods. For others, it’s a place to download illegal or copyrighted material. Call a spade a spade right?

In an unusual case though, a lawyer in the US has pleaded guilty to deliberately uploading copyrighted material to a file sharing site with the sole purpose of suing (or more accurately extorting) money from those who downloaded it.

Adult Material

Paul Hansmeier is (or was) an experienced lawyer who had been working in the adult film industry for some time. His job was to ensure that the created material was protected online from piracy. At some stage though, it dawned on him that a much similar method of catching online pirates would be if he personally uploaded the file and monitored who downloaded it.

From there, he would issue them with an ultimatum. Pay us $3000 or we will sue you. Have fun explaining to the judge why you were downloading ‘Ballfondlers’.

From there, he then set up fake companies as a means of laundering the money back to his law firm. In fairness, you have to credit the idea as odious as it is.

Scam Uncovered

The scheme was found out after an investigation was conducted into the law firm in 2016. The investigation revealed that they may have made as much as $3m by this scamming method. In a report via the BBC, the man has pleaded guilty with the understanding that he will face no more than 150 months in jail.

It is, however, a new cautionary tale to the risks of online downloads. Well, specifically illegal ones. You never, after all, know exactly what you’re downloading from whom until you get it.

What do you think? Impressed or shocked by this scam? – Let us know in the comments!