Two Chinese are accused of selling pirated software for $ 100 million

The US grand jury has charged two Chinese citizens with 46 criminal clauses, including the distribution of copyright-infringing software and the illegal export of technology to China. Plus to this - the creation and content of the site, through which the software was sold for a total commercial value of more than 100,000,000 US dollars.


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35-year-old Xiang Li and 33-year-old Chun Yang Li from Chendu (China) are accused of using a number of sites (for example, crack99.com) to sell pirated copies of software. The accused were engaged in selling software for more than 150 software companies from April 2008 to June 2011.

Xiang Li was arrested by HSI agents (Homeland Security Investigations, National Security) in June in Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands). Chun Yang Li has not yet caught. Charges to these guys brought US District Delaver County.

In the process of investigating this case, a former employee of NASA, Cosburn Wederbar (38 years, Maryland), pleaded guilty. He purchased pirated software from Xiang Li for more than $ 1,000,000. Wenderbar faces up to 5 years in prison and a $ 250,000 fine.

Xiang Li believes that he was doing quite an innocent thing and should not be responsible for it. Quoting ICE director John Morton, “Lee thought that the long arms of US law enforcement agencies would not reach him, believing in the anonymity of cyberspace. He was cruelly mistaken. ”

Lawyer Lee’s comments have not yet been heard.

Crack99.com and other sites managed by the defendants offered more than 2000 different hacked programs or crack programs for them. Of course, on the site this software was cheaper than the manufacturers. The software list also included software developed by US companies for work in the fields of design, production, space exploration, modeling and design, mathematics, and even storm water management.

The average cost of software on sites ranged from $ 20 to $ 1,200. The retail amount of the compared products ranged from a few hundred dollars to more than a million.

The indictment states that between April 2008 and June 2011, Li sold more than 500 pirated versions of programs. Most of the clients are from the USA (325 people), the rest are from 60 foreign countries.

Xiang Li faces up to 20 years in federal prison + a $ 500,000 fine.