United States v. Rothberg

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

KENNELLY, District Judge.

Defendant Robin Rothberg entered a “blind” plea of guilty (that is, without the benefit of a plea agreement) to a charge of conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. § 371 to commit copyright infringement in violation of 17 U.S.C. § 506(a)(2) and 18 U.S.C. § 2319(c)(1). The conspiracy involved a highly-organized Internet-based software piracy group called “Pirates With Attitudes” that involved perhaps hundreds of participants and members-only web sites that made available $1.4 million worth of computer software for downloading by members. The background…