A Massachusetts man was sentenced on Wednesday to two years in prison after being convicted of trying to defraud DreamWorks Animation through a bogus copyright lawsuit claiming it stole the characters and story from him for its film "Kung Fu Panda."
Prosecutors in Boston said that after seeing a trailer for the yet-to-be-released animated film in 2008, Jayme Gordon fabricated and backdated drawings of characters similar to those in the film, which he used for a lawsuit against the company.
He previously created some drawings and a story about pandas that prosecutors said bore little resemblance to the movie's characters. After seeing the trailer, he revised the drawings and story and renamed it "Kung Fu Panda Power," they said.
In 2011, Gordon sued DreamWorks for copyright infringement and proposed that the company settle the lawsuit for $12 million, prosecutors said. DreamWorks rejected that proposal, they said, leading to two more years of litigation.
His scheme failed after DreamWorks discovered that some of Gordon's drawings had been traced from a colouring book featuring Walt Disney Co characters from the 1994 film "The Lion King," prosecutors said.
Gordon subsequently agreed to dismiss his lawsuit against DreamWorks, which also produced the "Madagascar" and "How to Train Your Dragon" films. By that time, the company had spent $3 million defending itself, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors had sought a five-year prison sentence for Gordon, 51, of Randolph, Massachusetts, who was found guilty by a federal jury in November on charges of wire fraud and perjury.
His lawyer, Jeffrey Denner, sought a sentence of probation, citing psychiatric issues as a mitigating factor.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti Saris in Boston, who imposed the two-year prison term, also ordered Gordon to pay more than $3 million restitution, prosecutors said.
Denner in an interview said he believed the judge was fair in imposing the sentence. He said Gordon had not decided whether to appeal his trial conviction.
Reuters
Thu May 04 2017
Panda characters stand on the red carpet at the DVD release of "Kung Fu Panda" at the Grauman's Chinese theatre in Hollywood, California November 9, 2008. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Kerja ganti paip lama di Seluruh Sarawak bermula tahun ini
Sarawak akan memulakan kerja-kerja penggantian saluran paip lama sepanjang 2,740 kilometer di seluruh negeri itu bermula tahun ini.
Julaihi beri jaminan bekalan air di Sarawak pada Hari Raya mencukupi
Menteri Utiliti dan Telekomunikasi Sarawak mengingatkan orang ramai supaya elakkan pembaziran meskipun bekalan air ketika Hari Raya nanti dijamin mencukupi.
90 peratus kawasan terlibat kebakaran hutan berjaya dipadamkan
Operasi pemadaman kebakaran hutan di Kuala Baram sejak seminggu lalu berjaya dengan 90 peratus api dikawasan terjejas berjaya dipadamkan.
Pembantu bengkel diberkas, bakar mercun tengah jalan
Tindakan seorang lelaki membakar mercun di tengah jalan ketika menyertai perarakan mengiringi upacara pengebumian dekat pekan Banting di sini mengundang padah apabila diberkas polis pada Rabu.
El Nino: Al-Sultan Abdullah tinjau Sungai Pahang, titah adakan solat hajat
Sultan Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Riayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah berkenan meninjau Sungai Pahang yang dilaporkan surut akibat fenomena El Nino.
Hujan roket Hizbullah gegar utara Israel
Pejuang Hizbullah pada Rabu melancarkan kira-kira 30 roket dari Lubnan ke kawasan utara Israel selepas gerakan disokong Iran itu berikrar untuk 'menghukum' rejim Zionis.
Tol percuma sempena Aidilfitri 8, 9 April - Alexander
Pengguna lebuh raya membabitkan kenderaan persendirian (Kelas 1) diberi kemudahan tol percuma selama dua hari iaitu 8 dan 9 April bersempena dengan sambutan Aidilfitri tahun ini.
Penstriman haram: Jangkitan malware berisiko akibatkan kecurian, penipuan identiti pengguna
Awas dan jangan mudah terpedaya dengan sebarang akses haram yang menawarkan pelbagai filem dan siri televisyen kerana ia mungkin menyimpan perisian hasad atau malware.
Insentif cukai baharu untuk syarikat berstatus Malaysia Digital
Perbadanan Ekonomi Digital Malaysia (MDEC) akan memperkenalkan insentif cukai baharu kepada syarikat berstatus Malaysia Digital (MD) dan syarikat berstatus Koridor Raya Multimedia (MSC) sedia ada.
Gentari setuju saranan tubuh konsortium bantu pemain solar - DPMM
Gentari Sdn Bhd menyatakan persetujuannya dengan saranan untuk mewujudkan konsortium dianggotai pemain industri solar.