Russia Opens Software Piracy Case Against LG Electronics

The Russian authorities have recently opened a criminal investigation against the Russian branch of LG Electronics, one of the world’s largest television set and mobile phone producers headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, for permitting 60 of its employees to use unlicensed software.

On September 2, 2010, the Interior Ministry’s economic crimes department issued a statement saying this is the first time Russia opened a software piracy investigation against a leading foreign company. Sixty computers have been confiscated with the losses estimated to be around EUR 51,000 (USD 65,000).

According to Russian International News Agency, RIA Novosti, the inspection was held following a request of the Business Software Alliance (BSA), a trade group representing some of the world’s leading software makers.

For more information, please contact Jelena Jankovic at our Balkan Regional Office.

Source: Agence France-Presse (AFP), RIA Novosti