O F F I C I A L  U S E  O N L Y

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 
ICE 
REPORT OF INVESTIGATION CONTINUATION
PAGE 2
CASE NUMBER **REDACTED (b)(2)High, (k)(2)**
REPORT NUMBER: 025


DETAILS OF INVESTIGATION:

On September 11, 2006, SA **REDACTED (b)(6), (b)(7)c, (k)(2)** spoke with U.S. Department of Justice
Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) trial attorney Andrea Sharrin via telephone concerning the status of prosecution for the subjects involved in ELITETORRENTS.  Sharrin related that **REDACTED (b)(6), (b)(7)c, (k)(2)** **REDACTED (b)(6), (b)(7)c, (k)(2)**:

**REDACTED (b)(6), (b)(7)c, (k)(2)**

**REDACTED (b)(6), (b)(7)c, (k)(2)**

This is the first criminal enforcement action against copyright infringement on a P2P network using BitTorrent technology. **REDACTED (b)(6), (b)(7)c, (k)(2)** arising from Operation D-Elite, a federal crackdown against the first providers (or suppliers) of pirated works to the technologically-sophisticated P2P network known as Elite Torrents. At its prime, the Elite Torrents network attracted more than 133,000 members and facilitated the illegal distribution of more than 2 million copies of movies, software, music, and games. On May 25, 2005, federal agents shut down the
Elite Torrents network by seizing its main server and replacing its log-in web page with the following notice: "This Site Has Been Permanently Shut Down by the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)." Within the first week alone, this message was viewed over half a million times. 

The Elite Torrents P2P network offered a virtually unlimited content selection, including illegal copies of copyrighted works before their availability in retail stores or movie theatres. For example, **REDACTED (b)(6), (b)(7)c, (k)(2)** supplied the network with the final entry in the Star Wars series. “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith," more than six hours before it was first shown in
theatres. In the next 24 hours, it was downloaded from the Elite Torrents network more than 10,000 times.


O F F I C I A L  U S E  O N L Y
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ICE.000037.2011FOIA904