File Sharer Hit With $675,000 Fine

By Digital Trends Staff Published October 25, 2009

Last week in court, Boston college student Joel Tenenbaum admitted illegally downloading and sharing music files. As a result, he’s been hit with a fine of $675,000, payable to four major record labels.

Tenenbaum told AP he was initially happy the fine wasn’t in the millions:

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"That to me sends a message of ‘We considered your side with some legitimacy’."

However, his lawyer is planning an appeal.

Tenenbaum used computers at his parents’ home and at college for file sharing, and was prosecuted and convicted on the basis of 30 shared songs. As the law stands, recording companies can receive anywhere from $750 to $30,000 for each infringement, although a jury can raise that amount to $150,000 per track with willful infringements. Tenebaum received a fine of $22,500 per infringement. Tenebaum admitted illegally downloading more than 800 songs since 1999.

Recently, a Minnesota woman was fined $1.92 million for sharing 24 songs.

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