More domain theft arrests could be on the way

Daniel Goncalves became the first domain hijacker to be arrested when New Jersey authorities pressed criminal charges against him for stealing P2P.com a few weeks ago

Though no court date has yet to be set, industry experts and cyber crime specialists are watching the case very closely. While the spectators themselves have no vested interest in the domain, if Goncalves is convicted, a precedent will be set up making it easier to convict future domain thieves.

In the past, most domain-related crimes weren’t considered criminal acts because of the virtual nature of the Internet. Nothing like the Goncalves case has ever been seen before in American courts, but once it has, prosecutors will have a much better understanding of how to handle domain theft and know whether or not this cyber crime is worth pursuing in the criminal justice system.

My guess is Goncalves will be found guilty. He should look forward to some jail time, the loss of the stolen domain, and possibly fines. Once authorities know they can successfully try a domain theft case in court, I think they will begin to devote more resources to the problem.

Source | ALB Legal News

Photo | Flickr