NEW YORK (Reuters) - A 49-year-old Nevada man has been sentenced to two years in prison for the large-scale trafficking in counterfeit Microsoft MSFT.O software over the Internet, federal prosecutors said on Friday.
Paul Stamatis of Las Vegas, formerly of Los Angeles, was also sentenced to pay Microsoft $500,000 in restitution. Stamatis, who had pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme, was sentenced on Thursday.
Stamatis was arrested in February 2000 along with Robert Gaboury, 61, and Chia Yu Ku, 49, both of California. The indictment charged that Ku had obtained copies of counterfeit Microsoft software CDs, packaged them and then distributed the CDs to various people including Stamatis. Stamatis, who also got other counterfeit software from other suppliers, distributed the software to buyers throughout the country.
Gaboury was one of Stamatis" customers and he also distributed large amounts of software throughout the country.
Stamatis and Ku both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit software and criminal trademark violations. Gaboury pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate copyright and trademark laws.
Gaboury was sentenced last year to six months in prison and six months of home confinement. Ku is awaiting sentencing.