David Bird
09-03-06, 08:47 PM
Accused Australian software and movie piracy kingpin Sean O'Toole continues to evade a worldwide hunt by US authorities.
The 26-year-old from Perth was scheduled to appear in the US District Court in Chicago last month to face allegations he was the "the de facto leader" of an international underground piracy group, but he did not turn up.
An arrest warrant was issued and American authorities said they were yet to track O'Toole down.
"We are exploring all of the options," assistant US district attorney Pravin Rao, who is prosecuting the case against O'Toole and 18 co-defendants from the US and Barbados, told AAP.
O'Toole's Australian and American lawyers and his parents in Perth have said they do not know where he is. His parents are concerned for his safety.
"If he does turn up, then he will be arrested and be brought to court," Rao said.
"We are looking at all the possibilities including extradition.
"We are weighing all of options at this stage."
O'Toole faces one count of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement and one count of copyright infringement.
If convicted he could spend up to eight years in an American jail.
O'Toole's Perth lawyer Michael Bowden said he had not heard from his client since he apparently left Perth weeks ago to face the charges in the US.
"No, I haven't heard anything," Bowden said. "I haven't talked to the family since I heard he was leaving to go to Chicago."
O'Toole, known as "Chucky", is accused of setting policy for the underground software piracy group RISCISO, whose alleged members range in age from 22 to 57 and include information technology directors for a law firm, an architectural firm, and a telecommunications company.
The indictment alleges RISCISO pirated $US6.5 million ($A8.87 million) of copyrighted computer software, games, and movies through non-public internet sites.
The copyright works included software such as Microsoft Windows XP Media Centre Edition 2005 and movies including Ocean's 12 and The Incredibles.
Games played on computers and on video gaming consoles such as Xbox and Playstation 2, including Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005, Half Life 2 and Tony Hawks Underground 2, were also allegedly pirated.
© 2006 AAP
March 9, 2006 - 2:04PM
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Aussie-net-pirate-evading-US-authorities/2006/03/09/1141701618012.html)
The 26-year-old from Perth was scheduled to appear in the US District Court in Chicago last month to face allegations he was the "the de facto leader" of an international underground piracy group, but he did not turn up.
An arrest warrant was issued and American authorities said they were yet to track O'Toole down.
"We are exploring all of the options," assistant US district attorney Pravin Rao, who is prosecuting the case against O'Toole and 18 co-defendants from the US and Barbados, told AAP.
O'Toole's Australian and American lawyers and his parents in Perth have said they do not know where he is. His parents are concerned for his safety.
"If he does turn up, then he will be arrested and be brought to court," Rao said.
"We are looking at all the possibilities including extradition.
"We are weighing all of options at this stage."
O'Toole faces one count of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement and one count of copyright infringement.
If convicted he could spend up to eight years in an American jail.
O'Toole's Perth lawyer Michael Bowden said he had not heard from his client since he apparently left Perth weeks ago to face the charges in the US.
"No, I haven't heard anything," Bowden said. "I haven't talked to the family since I heard he was leaving to go to Chicago."
O'Toole, known as "Chucky", is accused of setting policy for the underground software piracy group RISCISO, whose alleged members range in age from 22 to 57 and include information technology directors for a law firm, an architectural firm, and a telecommunications company.
The indictment alleges RISCISO pirated $US6.5 million ($A8.87 million) of copyrighted computer software, games, and movies through non-public internet sites.
The copyright works included software such as Microsoft Windows XP Media Centre Edition 2005 and movies including Ocean's 12 and The Incredibles.
Games played on computers and on video gaming consoles such as Xbox and Playstation 2, including Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005, Half Life 2 and Tony Hawks Underground 2, were also allegedly pirated.
© 2006 AAP
March 9, 2006 - 2:04PM
Source (http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Aussie-net-pirate-evading-US-authorities/2006/03/09/1141701618012.html)