Chamber Applauds Sentencing of IP Criminals

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today applauded the sentencing of three prominent intellectual property (IP) criminals and praised the Department of Justice for its vigorous prosecution of these cases.

"These convictions underscore the Justice Department's commitment to punishing those who steal intellectual property or counterfeit products," said David Hirschmann, Chamber senior vice president. "It also sends a strong signal to pirates and counterfeiters that the government, with substantial support from the business community, will hunt you down and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law."

Danny Ferrer was convicted of pirating $20 million in copyrighted software in the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va. In a separate case in the U.S. District Court in Miami, Fla., Ji Wu Chen and Meihua Li were convicted of conspiracy and trafficking and importing counterfeit goods, including electrical cords, batteries, handbags, wallets, watches, and different items of clothing and accessories bearing counterfeit trademarks.

Counterfeiting and piracy cost the U.S. economy approximately $250 billion annually, expose consumers to dangerous and defective products, and has destroyed 750,000 American jobs.

"The Chamber is committed to making the world a miserable place for counterfeiters and pirates," added Hirschmann. "These convictions are a significant step forward in what will continue to be a major priority for the U.S. Chamber—increasing law enforcement efforts to fight counterfeiting and piracy to protect public health and safety and to advance innovation and job creation."

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation, representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

www.uschamber.com

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