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U Georgia official arrested for demanding bribes to make RIAA copyright notices go away

Cory Doctorow at 10:48 pm Wed, Feb 10, 2010

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The University of Georgia has fired Dorin Lucian Dehelean, a security analyst who was responsible for passing on RIAA copyright infringement notices to the student body, alleging that he demanded bribes from students to make the record of their supposed infractions go away.
According to UGA campus police chief Jimmy Williamson, Dehelean "offered to make the situation go away in exchange for money." He promised not to inform Judicial Programs, so the student in question would be free from any kind of disciplinary measures the University usually takes in similar cases.

The student in question didn't have any money and alerted a University employee who called in the police. The police decided to look into the case and sent over an undercover officer who went over to Dehelean, impersonating the student.

After Dehelean accepted the payment he was fired immediately and taken into custody for extortion practices. According to the campus police, Dehelean may have tried the same trick with other students, and they believe that at least one other student paid up.

UGA Security Analyst Fired For Extorting File-Sharer
Previously:
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  • RIAA propaganda movie for students in desperate need of remix ...
  • RIAA suing college kids for maintaining file-sharing networks ...
  • President of MTU's open letter to RIAA - Boing Boing
  • Here's a copy of the RIAA letter sent to college students - Boing ...
  • Analysis of RIAA's charges against Princeton student - Boing Boing
  • Boing Boing: RIAA explains why they're suing your children

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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  • mostlymuppet

    As a UGA grad this news makes me sad. What an idiot.

  • cameronh1403

    but he was just using the same tactics RIAA uses?!?! And they don’t get in trouble?!?1

  • LX

    Power without control just begs to be abused. I would like to see people learning from this experience, yet I fear nothing will change, e.g. at the ACTA negotiations, where every attempt of control is fought with intransparency.

    Greetings, LX

  • sirdook

    Go Dawgs!

  • JoshuaTerrell

    Sad.

    In other news: TO HELL WITH GEORGIA.

  • Teufelaffe

    I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, some state DA needs to harden the f*ck up and file extortion charges against the RIAA, since they’re doing exactly what this guy was doing.

  • Felton

    Heh! I’m currently a UGA student. Glad they nabbed the guy before he could fleece anyone else. And yes, it would be great if this cast were to cast more light on the RIAA’s own strong-arm tactics.

    • Antinous / Moderator

      I had you pegged for Slytherin.

      • Felton

        Maybe I am, but it doesn’t do me much good in Bulldawg country. Plus, UGA didn’t accept a single transfer credit from Hogwarts.

  • Chainring

    Trying to extort money from college students? He should be fired for stupidity even if the other charge doesn’t stick. Talk about barking up the wrong trees.

  • Anonymous

    So it’s ok for the RIAA to blackmail people, threatening with jail time if they don’t pay up, but it’s not ok for one of their staff to take a cut by shielding them?