Department of Justice and FBI Highlight Federal Prosecutions of Copyright and Trademark Pirates

Recording Industry Chief Responds to Announcement

Washington, DC - Attorney General Janet Reno today announced more than 18 criminal copyright and trademark cases that DOJ and the FBI are currently prosecuting, including three cases of sound recording piracy involving 24 individuals. In response, Hilary Rosen, president and COO of the Recording Industry Association of America, the trade group representing U.S. record labels, issued the following statement.

"The U.S. recording industry applauds the efforts and determination of the Justice Department and the FBI to combat copyright pirates. All of the federal agents that we have worked with on countless sound recording piracy cases have proven, through their dedication and enthusiasm, that they believe in the importance of protecting the products of American creativity.

"The resolve and contributions of these men and women, and the agencies they represent, have enabled the RIAA's anti-piracy unit to make significant strides in fighting domestic music piracy. Once the scourge of the recording industry, cassette piracy continued to wane in 1996 to its lowest level in six years. A major reason for this decrease is the effectiveness of federal law enforcement actions against illegal cassette manufacturers, distributors, raw materials suppliers and even vendors throughout the '90s.

"Justice and the FBI's deployment of significant resources in regions of the country where Latin music piracy is concentrated, particularly along the U.S. /Mexican border, has been a critical element in our successful inroads in fighting Latin music piracy, which currently accounts for 80% of seized counterfeit cassettes.

"The recording industry is truly indebted to the Department of Justice and the FBI for their efforts in assuring that the basic rights of recording artists, producers, composers, musicians and vocalists -- and all the others in the music community who generally depend on royalties from legitimate sales for their livelihoods -- are upheld, and that they are credited and rewarded for their original work."