Razor1911 In Jail And Fairlight

[junkyardking]

A member of the game release group Razor1911 has been sentanced to 18 months jail.
Also Fairlight know for it's great releases has quit the scene.


http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0...Enbv%5E,00.html

Warez leader gets 18 months

JUNE 09, 2003 

AN ALLEGED leader of an online software piracy group known as Razor1911 has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiracy to violate copyright laws.

The US Justice Department said in a statement that Shane Pitman, 31, North Carolina, was sentenced by US federal Judge James Cacheris in Alexandria, Virginia.
Pitman, known by his screen nickname "Pitbull," was a leader of the underground internet piracy community or "warez scene" and was accused of piracy of computer and console game software.

"The group prided itself on cracking and illegally distributing the most popular software games, usually before their public release date, including such games as Quake, Red Alert, Terminal Velocity, and Warcraft II and III," the Justice Department said.

"Shane Pitman's conviction and sentence should send a strong message to organised internet gangs like Razor1911 that stealing and illegally distributing game software online is not a game," said US Attorney Paul McNulty.


"If other software pirates still entertain the false belief that the internet offers anonymity for this type of copyright infringement, they do so at their own peril."

Pitman was among more than 40 individuals targeted worldwide by Operation Buccaneer, a 14-month undercover investigation by a variety of law enforcement agencies. Other groups targeted were known as DrinkOrDie, RiSC, RiSCISO, Request To Send (RTS), ShadowRealm (SRM), We Love Warez (WLW), and POPZ.

The statement said Pitman is the 22nd person convicted to date on felony copyright infringement charges as a result of Operation Buccaneer

http://forum.sharereactor.com/viewtopic.php?t=147674
http://www.theisonews.com/release.php3?releaseid=75502
http://www.nforce.nl/nfos/index.php?do=2&id=34223

Information :
  =============

  It has been a good few years, but it is now time for Fairlight to close its
  doors for good. Many reasons have made us come to this judgement but we feel  it
  is for the best. The scene is getting to be a dangerous place. Not only do we
  have to fear from the feds but also the unhonorable ones in the scene who lower
  themselves to narq the competition. Retiring on top seems to be the best
  decision for us. We want to thank all those throughout the years who have helped
  us in one way or another.
 

http://forum.sharereactor.com/viewtopic.php?t=147674

[loz]

It's a shame

You mean this Razor1911 is in jail.

[junkyardking]

Dont know if that member is associated with them, as Razor1911 is a group not just one person.

Fairlight will be missed as they they produced some damn good releases

[namzuf9]

There'll always be someone new willing to take over from where Fairlight left of. It makes me wonder why they do it though. What do they gain from it personally?

[Rat Faced]

Satisfaction that the studio's who are ripping us off are, in their turn, ripped off.


If the Studio's released stuff at a fair price, then the Groups wouldnt do it.


Ironically, the studio's would probably make a lot more money too.

[J'Pol]

So what we are saying here is that someone who was breaking the law was caught, tried, found guilty and sentenced to a term of imprisonment.

Is that about the size of it.

[evilbagpuss]

It makes me wonder why they do it though. What do they gain from it personally?

Gaining respect in the 'scene' could be one motive but theres also the intellectual challenge of it all. If you read their info files and see the kind of people they're looking for it's pretty clear that breaking copyright protection on games requires alot of technical knowledge, time and determination.

[Jibbler]

Surely another group will step up to the plate. Though, it is a shame to hear about the passing of a group.

[Spicker]

WOW this is a big thing 18 months!well i will surely miss razor1911 i downloaded many games ripped or pirated from him....

[Illuminati]

Razor 1911 were one of the kingpins in the game piracy "business" - They've AFAIK done more in its history than any other group in recent times. No-one with decent knowledge of this world can say that Razor 1911 did sod all with a straight face.

They will surely be missed, but that should hopefully mean that another group will step up to the plate and continue what Razor had done. My money would be on DEViANCE personally.

Still, we'll have to see the fate of Razor 1911 in 18 months time, when Pitbull is out and free again.