Russian court acquits AllofMP3.com boss

So, there was a Russian "loophole" in the law after all...

15 August 2007 16:26 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Reuters is reporting that the former boss of music download site AllofMP3.com has been acquitted.

Denis Kvasov had been on trial in Russia facing charges of breaching copyright law via the popular download site that was second only behind iTunes in the UK at one point.

The site, which cited loopholes in Russian law as a way round paying music labels and artists royalties, was closed down after a lengthy battle.

AllofMP3.com was seen to be one impediment from Russia joining the World Trade Organisation, so strong was America's, as well as other countries (UK included) protests against the site.

EMI Group, NBC Universal and Time Warner were particularly involved in getting the site closed, and those responsible prosecuted.

"The prosecution did not succeed in presenting persuasive evidence of his involvement in infringing copyright law", said the judge, Yekaterina Sharapova.

It's not clear if the site, which charged as little as 15 cents per song, will "reopen" but remarkably similar Russian download sites did spring up as AllofMP3.com was forced to close...

Expect angry statements from the record labels and mutterings about the corrupt court system in Russia to follow.

Full tags

Audio, Music downloads, allofmp3, Websites