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Press Release

Iranian Man Pleads Guilty For Role In Illegally Distributing “Cracked” Kodak Printing Software

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051

ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr., announced today that Navid Salehvaziri, 34, of Tehran, Iran, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Charles J. Siragusa to illegally circumventing technological measures protecting a copyrighted work for private financial gain. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $500,000 fine, or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the matter, stated that Salehvaziri and others worked at a business entity located in Tehran, Iran. There, Salehvaziri sold unauthorized, pirated copies of Kodak software known as Prinergy Evo, a sophisticated commercial printing software. The specific software that the defendant and others sold was “cracked,” meaning that Kodak’s regular security and access control features had been disabled. In an undercover operation, the FBI arranged to purchase a copy of the “cracked” software from Salehvaziri for $1500. Authorized versions of the software, obtained through legitimate Kodak distribution channels, retail for approximately $10,000 and $300,000, depending on the features purchased.

The plea is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of Federal Bureau of Investigation, acting under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 26, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.

Updated February 26, 2016