Chinese courts dealt out a harsh punishment to the ringleaders of what is believed to be one of the world's largest software scams. Eleven alleged ringleaders were sent to prison, the AP reports. Counterfeit software from the ring was found in 36 countries and 11 languages. It was valued at over $2 billion. Eleven defendants were given prison terms from 1 1/2 to 6 1/2 years, Microsoft announced last week. This is reportedly one of the harshest punishment ever under China's tightened piracy laws. Officials say the case was unique in several ways including the scope of the counterfeit software involved, and the fact that Chinese officials coordinated closely with U.S. officials.
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