FACT Press Release, February 4, 2011
EBAY TRADER JAILED FOR IMPORTING COUNTERFEIT DVDS AND MONEY LAUNDERING
Gary Finch, 45, of Burstead Close, Brighton, is starting a six-month prison sentence this week after pleading guilty to three counts of Importation of counterfeit DVD’s and three counts of Money Laundering.
Sussex Police, acting on intelligence supplied by FACT (the Federation Against Copyright Theft) were alerted to Mr Finch by an eBay customer who had, in good faith purchased a box set of DVD’s. They were being advertised as a genuine product being shipped from within the UK. On arrival, a number of foreign postmarks were noticeable and it was clear that the DVD’s were fake.
A warrant was executed at his home address in May 2009. Dozens of pirated DVD’s were recovered together with computer equipment and financial documents. Further investigation revealed an organised criminal network from Malaysia which was responsible for shipping the DVD’s. The eBay account belonging to Finch was being used to advertise the discs. Enquiries by police financial experts established that over a twelve month period, FINCH had sold L255,961.00 worth of pirated DVD’s. Most were box sets of American series such as Ghostwhisperer, Californication, and Kyle XC.
Finch first appeared at Croydon Crown Court in May 2010. He told the court that he acted as an ‘administrator’ answering emails on behalf of an unknown man in Malaysia. He would regularly transfer substantial monies overseas whilst drawing a salary of L2000 per month. The jury failed to reach a verdict and the matter was listed for a re-trial in April 2011.
However in August 2010, Sussex Police were successful in a court forfeiture application of L34,074.00 that represented the funds remaining in Finch's account.
He then pleaded guilty in advance of the retrial and appeared at Croydon Crown Court on Wednesday 2 February. The court took into account the fact that monies had been repaid, but noted that over a twelve month period Finch knew or suspected what he was doing was illegal and that the monies he was transferring or keeping for himself represented criminal property and proceeds from his criminal conduct.
Sentencing Finch to six months imprisonment, Judge Anderson said that his actions had been damaging to the legitimate film industry and hoped that the sentence would act as a deterrent to others involved in film piracy.
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