Anita Minervino and Peter Forbes

Myrtle Beach, SC: In a lawsuit coordinated by the Recording Industry Association of America, record companies Arista, Sony BMG, and Warner Bros alleged copyright violations and detailed songs by artists that had been illegally downloaded over the internet. In the case of Anita Minervino, the lawsuit alleged copyright violations and detailed songs by artists such as Green Day and TLC that her then 12-year-old daughter, Rebecca, had downloaded more than five years ago. Like most defendants in these lawsuits, Minervino didn't put up a fight. Four months after being sued, Minervino paid the record companies $4,500 for the downloaded songs, money that will help pay for more piracy lawsuits and investigations by the recording industry.

More than 18,000 lawsuits have been filed nationally in the last three years. In South Carolina, the music industry has filed 176 lawsuits since 2003. Similarly Peter Forbes settled for $3,750, a typical amount, according to lawyers representing people sued by the music industry. (Jan-28-07) [THE STATE: PIRATED MUSIC]

Legal Help

If you have a similar problem and would like to be contacted by a lawyer at no cost or obligation, please click the link below.