A Massachusetts man was sentenced on Wednesday to two years in prison after being convicted of trying to defraud DreamWorks Animation through a bogus copyright lawsuit claiming it stole the characters and story from him for its film "Kung Fu Panda."
Prosecutors in Boston said that after seeing a trailer for the yet-to-be-released animated film in 2008, Jayme Gordon fabricated and backdated drawings of characters similar to those in the film, which he used for a lawsuit against the company.
He previously created some drawings and a story about pandas that prosecutors said bore little resemblance to the movie's characters. After seeing the trailer, he revised the drawings and story and renamed it "Kung Fu Panda Power," they said.
In 2011, Gordon sued DreamWorks for copyright infringement and proposed that the company settle the lawsuit for $12 million, prosecutors said. DreamWorks rejected that proposal, they said, leading to two more years of litigation.
His scheme failed after DreamWorks discovered that some of Gordon's drawings had been traced from a colouring book featuring Walt Disney Co characters from the 1994 film "The Lion King," prosecutors said.
Gordon subsequently agreed to dismiss his lawsuit against DreamWorks, which also produced the "Madagascar" and "How to Train Your Dragon" films. By that time, the company had spent $3 million defending itself, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors had sought a five-year prison sentence for Gordon, 51, of Randolph, Massachusetts, who was found guilty by a federal jury in November on charges of wire fraud and perjury.
His lawyer, Jeffrey Denner, sought a sentence of probation, citing psychiatric issues as a mitigating factor.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti Saris in Boston, who imposed the two-year prison term, also ordered Gordon to pay more than $3 million restitution, prosecutors said.
Denner in an interview said he believed the judge was fair in imposing the sentence. He said Gordon had not decided whether to appeal his trial conviction.
Reuters
Thu May 04 2017
Panda characters stand on the red carpet at the DVD release of "Kung Fu Panda" at the Grauman's Chinese theatre in Hollywood, California November 9, 2008. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
LHDN berjaya kutip RM512.6 juta melalui PKPS 2.0 - Amir Hamzah
LHDN telah mengutip RM512.6 juta daripada keseluruhan taksiran cukai berjumlah RM1.29 billion sepanjang tempoh PKPS 2.0.
Positif COVID-19 tidak perlu kemaskini MySejahtera
Jika didapati positif Covid-19, para pesakit tidak lagi perlu untuk mengemaskini status kesihatan terkini di aplikasi Mysejahtera, kerana covid seharusnya dirawat sama seperti jangkitan saluran penafasan yang lain.
Kandungan video promosi Georgetown Festival diturunkan
Pasukan George Town Festival 2024 telah menurunkan semua siaran berkaitan video promosi sambutan 'George Town Festival 2024' atas dakwaan menyinggung perasaan budaya Melayu di Pulau Pinang yang seperti dilupai.
Ia berikutan tular penyiaran video promosi sambutan 'George Town Festival 2024' yang didakwa hanya mempromosikan kebudayaan kaum Cina dan India.
Ia berikutan tular penyiaran video promosi sambutan 'George Town Festival 2024' yang didakwa hanya mempromosikan kebudayaan kaum Cina dan India.
KPM akan teliti sukarelawan dari Singapura, alu-alukan pesara guru Bahasa Inggeris di Malaysia
KPM sentiasa terbuka dan mengalu-alukan pesara guru bahasa Inggeris dalam negara untuk terlibat dalam PdP bagi meningkatkan penguasaan bahasa tersebut.
Pengajar Bahasa Inggeris dari Singapura, antara tumpuan
Penglibatan tenaga pengajar dari Singapura antara yang menjadi tumpuan di Dewan Rakyat pada Isnin.
Negara kekurangan tekong, beri kesan kekurangan ikan
Malaysia berhadapan kekurangan tekong tempatan berpengalaman yang ketara untuk kapal nelayan tempatan, terutama bagi perikanan laut dalam.
Menteri Pertanian dan Keterjaminan Makanan Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu berkata lebih ramai tekong tempatan perlu dilahirkan, kerana pada ketika ini orang luar terpaksa digunakan dan diberi peluang untuk berkhidmat sebagai tekong kapal nelayan tempatan di negara ini.
Menteri Pertanian dan Keterjaminan Makanan Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu berkata lebih ramai tekong tempatan perlu dilahirkan, kerana pada ketika ini orang luar terpaksa digunakan dan diberi peluang untuk berkhidmat sebagai tekong kapal nelayan tempatan di negara ini.
Jenayah: Polis sahkan suspek teman lelaki Nur Farah Kartini
Lelaki yang ditahan polis bagi membantu siasatan berhubung penemuan mayat Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, adalah teman lelakinya.
Suspek kes kematian Nur Farah Kartini direman tujuh hari
Seorang penjawat awam yang dikaitkan dengan penemuan mayat Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, direman selama tujuh hari bagi membantu siasatan kes tersebut.
[TERKINI] Pan Gon bakal umum letak jawatan hari ini?
Tidak ada maklumat lanjut berkaitan sidang media berkenaan walaupun desas desus mengatakan ia melibatkan kepimpinan tertinggi FAM atau barisan kejurulatihan skuad Harimau Malaya?
Bukan masa sesuai untuk perkenalkan semula GST - Amir Hamzah
Menteri Kewangan II, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan berkata bukan masa sesuai untuk perkenal semula GST. Katanya, kerajaan hanya akan perkenalkan cukai yang tidak memberi kesan kepada golongan rentan.
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen