US Authorities Net 'top Spammer'
A 27-year-old Seattle man is accused of a series of federal crimes including mail fraud and identity theft.
Web users worldwide could notice a welcome reduction in unsolicited emails offering penis enlargements and other dubious services after a man described as one of the globe's top 10 most prolific spammers was arrested.
Robert Alan Soloway, 27, from Seattle, appeared in a US court yesterday, accused of a series of federal crimes including mail fraud, email fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering.
US authorities said such was the scale of his activities, web users could easily notice a reduction in the amount of junk email clogging their inboxes.
"He's one of the top 10 spammers in the world," said Tim Cranton, a lawyer and director of Microsoft's Worldwide Internet Safety Programs.
"He's a huge problem for our customers. This is a very good day."
It is the first time federal prosecutors have used identity theft laws to prosecute a spammer for taking over someone else's internet domain name, theoretically leaving Mr Soloway facing a long prison sentence.
A federal grand jury last week returned a 35-count indictment against Mr Soloway. He pleaded not guilty at yesterday's hearing, during which a judge ruled he was wealthy enough to pay for his own defence, even after having four bank accounts frozen by the government. He remains in custody ahead of a new hearing on Monday.
Prosecutor Kathryn Warma said authorities were seeking to seize almost £400,000 they believe Mr Soloway made from his business, Newport Internet Marketing Corp.
The company was successful enough for him to live in an expensive apartment and drive a Mercedes convertible, she added.
Prosecutors allege Mr Soloway used networks of "zombie" computers - so-called because their owners have no idea they have been infected with malicious code - to send out millions of junk emails from 2003.
His website claimed he was able to send out as many as 20 million email advertisements over 15 days for around £250, the indictment said.
Mr Soloway continued his activities even after Microsoft won a £3.5m civil judgment against him in 2005, and the operator of a small internet service provider in Oklahoma won a £5m judgment, prosecutors said.
Robert Alan Soloway, 27, from Seattle, appeared in a US court yesterday, accused of a series of federal crimes including mail fraud, email fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering.
US authorities said such was the scale of his activities, web users could easily notice a reduction in the amount of junk email clogging their inboxes.
"He's one of the top 10 spammers in the world," said Tim Cranton, a lawyer and director of Microsoft's Worldwide Internet Safety Programs.
"He's a huge problem for our customers. This is a very good day."
It is the first time federal prosecutors have used identity theft laws to prosecute a spammer for taking over someone else's internet domain name, theoretically leaving Mr Soloway facing a long prison sentence.
A federal grand jury last week returned a 35-count indictment against Mr Soloway. He pleaded not guilty at yesterday's hearing, during which a judge ruled he was wealthy enough to pay for his own defence, even after having four bank accounts frozen by the government. He remains in custody ahead of a new hearing on Monday.
Prosecutor Kathryn Warma said authorities were seeking to seize almost £400,000 they believe Mr Soloway made from his business, Newport Internet Marketing Corp.
The company was successful enough for him to live in an expensive apartment and drive a Mercedes convertible, she added.
Prosecutors allege Mr Soloway used networks of "zombie" computers - so-called because their owners have no idea they have been infected with malicious code - to send out millions of junk emails from 2003.
His website claimed he was able to send out as many as 20 million email advertisements over 15 days for around £250, the indictment said.
Mr Soloway continued his activities even after Microsoft won a £3.5m civil judgment against him in 2005, and the operator of a small internet service provider in Oklahoma won a £5m judgment, prosecutors said.
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