New York Paralegal Blog

WASHINGTON — The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center), led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), has joined together with the FBI and six major American movie studios to launch an updated anti-piracy warning to be displayed on new releases. The anti-piracy warning will begin appearing in selected DVDs and Blu-rays released this week. The six movie studios, all members of the Motion Picture Association of America, have agreed to utilize the anti-piracy warning.

NORFOLK, VA—Mohamud Hirs Issa Ali, a/k/a Sanadaaq, 32; Mohamud Salad Ali, a/k/a Juguuf, 35; and Ali Abdi Mohamed, a/k/a Basher, 30, all of Somalia, pled guilty today in Norfolk federal court to acts of piracy and hostage-taking against the S/V Quest, which resulted in the murder of United States citizens Scott Underwood Adam, Jean Savage Adam, Phyllis Patricia Macay, and Robert Campbell Riggle. Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Janice K. Fedarcyk, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office; Alex J. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Mark Russ, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) in Norfolk, made the announcement after the pleas were accepted by United States District Judge Mark S. Davis. “These men have admitted to pirating an American yacht and holding four U.S. citizens hostage at gunpoint for ransom. Tragically, their piracy led to the execution of ...

At a sound stage at Walt Disney Studios in Southern California, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton announced to movie industry representatives how the agency is "turning the table on thieves" by combating movie piracy. "Working with industry, we will systematically target websites that offer counterfeit or pirated products. We will seize websites, prosecute the owners and forfeit proceeds." Under 'Operation In Our Sites,' a new initiative aimed at Internet counterfeiting and piracy, authorities seized the domain names of several sites offering first-run movies, often within hours of their theatrical release.