Davenport, Iowa
December 20, 2004 - 10:34AM
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A federal US judge has awarded an internet service provider more than $US1 billion ($A1.32 billion) in what is believed to be the largest judgement ever against spammers.
Robert Kramer, whose company provides email service for about 5000 subscribers in eastern Iowa, filed suit against 300 spammers after his inbound mail servers received up to 10 million spam emails a day in 2000, according to court documents.
US District Judge Charles R. Wolle filed default judgements on Friday against three of the defendants under the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act (RICO) and the Iowa Ongoing Criminal Conduct Act.
AMP Dollar Savings Inc. of Mesa, Arizona, was ordered to pay $US720 million ($A952.0 million) and Cash Link Systems Inc of Miami, Florida, was ordered to pay $US360 million ($A476.0 million). The third company, Florida-based TEI Marketing Group, was ordered to pay $US140,000 ($A185,111.73).
"It's definitely a victory for all of us that open up our email and find lewd and malicious and fraudulent email in our boxes every day," Kramer said after the ruling.
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AdvertisementKramer's attorney, Kelly Wallace, said he is unlikely to ever collect the judgement, which was made possible by an Iowa law that allows plaintiffs to claim damages of $US10 ($A13.22) per spam message. The judgments were then tripled under RICO.
"We hope to recover at least his costs," Wallace said.
There were no telephone listings for the three companies in Arizona and Florida. Nobody replied to an email sent today to Cash Link Systems.
According to court documents, no lawyers for the defendants were present during a bench trial in November. The lawsuit continues against other named defendants.
Laura Atkins, president of SpamCon Foundation, an anti-spamming organisation based in Palo Alto, California, said she believed it was the largest judgement ever in an anti-spam lawsuit.
"This is just incredible," she said. "I'm not aware of anything that's been over $US100 million ($A132.22 million)."
December 20, 2004 - 10:34AM
Page Tools
Email to a friend Printer format
A federal US judge has awarded an internet service provider more than $US1 billion ($A1.32 billion) in what is believed to be the largest judgement ever against spammers.
Robert Kramer, whose company provides email service for about 5000 subscribers in eastern Iowa, filed suit against 300 spammers after his inbound mail servers received up to 10 million spam emails a day in 2000, according to court documents.
US District Judge Charles R. Wolle filed default judgements on Friday against three of the defendants under the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act (RICO) and the Iowa Ongoing Criminal Conduct Act.
AMP Dollar Savings Inc. of Mesa, Arizona, was ordered to pay $US720 million ($A952.0 million) and Cash Link Systems Inc of Miami, Florida, was ordered to pay $US360 million ($A476.0 million). The third company, Florida-based TEI Marketing Group, was ordered to pay $US140,000 ($A185,111.73).
"It's definitely a victory for all of us that open up our email and find lewd and malicious and fraudulent email in our boxes every day," Kramer said after the ruling.
Advertisement
AdvertisementKramer's attorney, Kelly Wallace, said he is unlikely to ever collect the judgement, which was made possible by an Iowa law that allows plaintiffs to claim damages of $US10 ($A13.22) per spam message. The judgments were then tripled under RICO.
"We hope to recover at least his costs," Wallace said.
There were no telephone listings for the three companies in Arizona and Florida. Nobody replied to an email sent today to Cash Link Systems.
According to court documents, no lawyers for the defendants were present during a bench trial in November. The lawsuit continues against other named defendants.
Laura Atkins, president of SpamCon Foundation, an anti-spamming organisation based in Palo Alto, California, said she believed it was the largest judgement ever in an anti-spam lawsuit.
"This is just incredible," she said. "I'm not aware of anything that's been over $US100 million ($A132.22 million)."
