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The RIAA's legal team, including Jennifer Pariser (middle hold the bag), senior vice president of litigation, appeared confident after leaving federal court Wednesday. (Credit:Greg Sandoval/CNET)
To compensate the four largest record labels for facilitating the mass piracy of billions of songs over a 10-year period, Lime Wire founder Mark Gorton and his file-sharing company have agreed to pay the labels $105 million.
As first reported by CNET, Gorton's lawyers closed in on an agreement today after meeting today to try and hammer out a deal.
"We are pleased to have reached a large monetary settlement following the court's finding that both LimeWire and its founder Mark Gorton personally liable for copyright infringement," said Mitch Bainwol, chairman of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). "As the court heard during the last two weeks, LimeWire wreaked enormous damage on the music community, helping contribute to thousands of lost jobs and fewer opportunities for aspiring artists.
Bainwol can now report back to his label members that he has taken out the last for-profit company operating an illegal file-sharing service in the United States, although the pirating of music continues. As for Gorton, 44, he avoids paying what might have been a financially ruinous damages award.
After a U.S. District Judge found Lime Wire and founder Mark Gorton personally liable for copyright infringement and ordered the company to cease operations, the case then moved to assessing damages. Over the past two weeks, a jury in Manhattan heard evidence in the case as they determined what amount Lime Wire and Gorton would have to pay. If they found he deserved to pay the maximum under the law, Gorton could be required to pay as much as $1.4 billion.
Gorton's lawyer, Joseph Baio, was not immediately available for comment.
More to come
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