ROME (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Reuters is reporting that police said an Italian DJ has been fined a record 1.4 million euros ($1.8 million) for using thousands of pirate music files in a nightclub near Rome.
Police in the town of Rieti, near Rome, said they raided a popular nightclub earlier this week as part of a crackdown on piracy and seized 500 illegally copied music videos and more than 2,000 MP3 music files.
Police said the files belonged to a "well-known" Italian DJ.
FMQB reported that the operation, targeting radio stations and clubs around the region, was led by the Fiscal Police. In addition to the MP3s and music video clips found, a large quantity of audiovisual material and software were also seized.
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) said the fine was the biggest ever slapped on an individual for unlawful music copying and the use of copyrighted music in the MP3 format.
More than 7,000 legal actions have been launched against alleged uploaders in the United States, Canada and countries in Europe as the music industry fights to stop piracy which it blames for a decline over a number of years in CD sales.
