Australian police working with the FBI have swooped on the home of a 26-year-old Perth (Western Australian) man who US authorities say is the ringleader of an international underground piracy ring.
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Sean O'Toole is alleged to be the leader of a secretive piracy group called RISCISO that the USDJ claims $US 6.5 million worth of stolen copyrighted software, games and movies online.
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A spokesman for the Australian Federal Police said officers acting on an FBI request had raided a Mt Pleasant home on Jun 29 last year, seizing computers and documents which were still being analysed.
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The spokesman said no charges had been laid in Australia. But Mr O'Toole, who has been indicted in the US on a charge of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement, faces upto five years jail, a $US250,000 fine plus a possible million-dollar restitution claim, if convicted.
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The West Australian contacted Mr O'Toole's parents at their Mt Pleasant home. His mother said her son was being victimised by US authorities but would not comment further.
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USJD official Patrick Fitzpatrick, in Chicago, said Mr O'Toole was among 19 people from more than 10 countries indicted.
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Mr Fitzpatrick said the group was not motivated by profit but created an online library for a restricted number of people to access, containing thousands of titles and software - enough to fill 23,000 compact discs.