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Developments of Note
Justice Department seizes Mod Chip site after DMCA guilty plea
On Feb. 26, the Justice Department assumed control of the Web site iSONEWS.com, whose former owner, David M. Rocci, pleaded guilty in federal court in December to conspiring to import, market and sell circumvention devices known as modification, or 'mod' chips, in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The government said mod chips are designed to circumvent copyright protections built into game consoles such as Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's Playstation 2, and allow users to play illegally copied games. Mod chip sellers have been the target of international anti-piracy efforts, but this case is reportedly the first mod chip prosecution under the DMCA. Rocci was scheduled to be sentenced this month in the Eastern District of Virginia.
FTC settles COPPA charges with Mrs. Fields Cookies, Hershey Foods
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later
The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.
Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations
This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.
The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs
The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.
Compliance Officers: Recent Regulatory Guidance and Enforcement Actions and Mitigating the Risk of Personal Liability
This article explores legal developments over the past year that may impact compliance officer personal liability.
Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough
There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.