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First Ever Criminal Arrest For Domain Name Theft

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the slowly-catching-up-with-the-times dept.

Domain Name News writes "Until recently, there hasn't been a case of a domain theft where the thief was caught and arrested. However, on July 30th, Daniel Goncalves was arrested at his home in Union, New Jersey and charged in a landmark case, the first criminal arrest for domain name theft in the United States. 'Cases of domain name theft have not typically involved a criminal prosecution because of the complexities, financial restraints and sheer time and energy involved. If a domain name is stolen, the victim of the crime in most cases would need experience with the technical and legal intricacies associated with the domain name system. To move the case forward, they would also need a law enforcement professional who understands the case or is willing to take the time to learn. For example, the Angels told us that in their case they called their local law enforcement in Florida who sent a uniformed officer in a squad car to their home. The first thing you can imagine the officer asked was, "What's a domain?"'"

6 of 294 comments (clear)

  1. Met One of The OG Domain Thiefs by gbulmash · · Score: 5, Funny

    Back in 1995, I was working as a salesman at Circuit City and sold a VCR to Steve Cohen, the guy who stole sex.com. He was bragging to me about how he'd been offered a million bucks for it but wasn't going to sell. Then he ended up returning the VCR. What a tool.

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    Start a happiness pandemic
    1. Re:Met One of The OG Domain Thiefs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well of course he returned the VCR. How could you steal sex.com and not know that you can get all the porn you want for free off the internet. Who needs a VCR.

    2. Re:Met One of The OG Domain Thiefs by dhermann · · Score: 4, Funny

      Wow, what an amazing but totally unverifiable story!

  2. Oh, Those Dumb Police Officers! by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 4, Funny

    The first thing you can imagine the officer asked was, "What's a domain?".'"

    Why can't they be smart and well-versed in all things, like IT Professionals?

    1. Re:Oh, Those Dumb Police Officers! by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 4, Funny

      I don't think it was intended to be calling police officers dumb. Rather, I think the whole idea is that of law enforcement having to deal with obscure technical things that are totally outside of their expertise. Which is why this story is so interesting. The line is starting to blur between cyberspace and meatspace.

      So long as the cop never uses the term "meatspace" he'll be a better man than both of us.

  3. nice stereotype. by gandhi_2 · · Score: 5, Funny

    The first thing you can imagine the officer asked was, "What's a domain?".

    Right before the cop knocked your pocket-protector-wearing geek ass out.

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    THL phish sticks