FTC Files Spyware Case Against Sanford Wallace

An anonymous reader writes "Legendary reformed spammer Sanford Wallace is apparently back in business, under suspicion by the Feds for advertising a trojan spyware removal tool. Wallace 'admit[s] no wrongdoing', but in the next breath says 'The FTC is trying to enforce a law that hasn't even passed', referring to the proposed anti-spyware legislation currently in Congress."

Comments

Re:oh please...

[Garse Janacek]

That's like being pulled over by a cop for speeding, claiming you weren't, then pointing out that the cop wasn't even supposed to be there, since he was off duty...

Actually, no, if the law hasn't been passed yet then it's not like being stopped by a cop who's off duty. It's more like a city council trying to get the speed limit on the main road lowered from 45 to 35, and having a cop give you a ticket for going 45 even before the proposal goes through.

Certainly we can debate about the morality of what he did, but in saying he "admits no wrongdoing" he's just saying he doesn't think he broke the law, and if the case against him relies on anti-spyware laws that haven't been passed yet, then he's correct.

Mind you, I'm not saying that's actually the case -- it sounds like there may be a decent case against him even with the laws that already exist. But his defense that the law hasn't been passed is still logically sound, even if he ultimately turns out to be guilty of something else.