Megaupload programmer gets one year in jail after guilty plea

PanARMENIAN.Net - A programmer has become the first person to be imprisoned in the ongoing Megaupload copyright infringement case.

Andrus Nõmm was sentenced to one year and one day in prison after pleading guilty to felony copyright infringement, Digital Spy reports citing Ars Technica.

Nõmm was arrested in the Netherlands in 2012 and fought extradition to the US ever since. This week he agreed to waive his extradition hearing in the Netherlands and was arrested in Virginia.

Megaupload was closed by US officials back in January 2012, following allegations that its founder Kim Dotcom and several other executives violated a number of piracy laws.

"This conviction is a significant step forward in the largest criminal copyright case in US history," assistant attorney general Leshe Caldwell said in a statement.

"The Mega conspirators are charged with massive worldwide online piracy of movies, music and other copyrighted US works. We intend to see to it that all those responsible are held accountable for illegally enriching themselves by stealing the creative work of US artists and creators."

Dotcom - who is also fighting extradition to the US - reacted to Nõmm's sentencing on Twitter, saying: "The US Justice system: An innocent coder pleads guilty after 3 years of DOJ abuse, with no end in sight, in order to move on with his life.

"I have nothing but compassion and understanding for Andrus Nomm and I hope he will soon be reunited with his son."

According to the Department of Justice, a hearing is being held in June to decide whether Dotcom and three others should be extradited.