APOCALYPSE pRODUCTION cREW

Infobox computer underground
group_name = aPOCALYPSE pRODUCTION cREW


caption = ASCII art logo for aPC designed by NFO artist rnz.
The caption below reads: "You've been owned by the crew."
origin =
country = United States
status = inactive
years_active = May 1997–April 2004
category = mp3 warez
founders = acid^rain
Viper
products =
affiliates =
website =

aPOCALYPSE pRODUCTION cREW (aPC) was a major MP3 warez organization founded by two individuals known under the pseudonyms "acid^rain" and "Viper" in May 1997. aPC operated well into the mid 2000s and was subject to raid during Operation Fastlink — a coordination of four separate simultaneous undercover investigations by the FBI, the FBI Cyber Division, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) of the Criminal Division and Interpol. aPC was known to many as the first organized group to put mp3s onto the internet. Their efforts predated the scene and started with composing midi versions of popular songs.

On August 21, 2003, Mark Shumaker (known by the pseudonym "markalso"), pleaded guilty to violating copyright laws and became the first federal criminal prosecution of someone who specialized in music piracy after having been raided in Operation Buccaneer. Shumaker was previously a leader of aPC, but at the time of the raid, he had retired his role. No members of aPC were raided as a part of Operation Buccaneer. They would five years later, however, be raided in Operation Fastlink which caused the disbanding of the group. [cite web |url=http://www.cybercrime.gov/shumakerPlea.htm |title=Online Music Piracy Leader Pleads Guilty |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |date=2003-04-21 |accessdate=2007-09-15] [cite mailing list |url=http://lists.virus.org/infocon-0308/msg00076.html |title=Security In The News - August 25, 2003 |date=2003-08-25 |accessdate=2007-09-15 |mailinglist=INFOCON |last=Institute for Security Technology Studies ]

ee also

* Compress Da Audio (CDA)
* Rabid Neurosis (RNS)

References

Court Cases

"Dextro" (real name: Barry Gitarts) was [http://www.piracyisacrime.org/In-The-Courtroom/barry-gitarts-sentenced-for-his-role-in-music-piracy-group-apc.html sentenced to prison] after a jury trial in which fellow aPC member Jacob Stahler (known on irc as Lunatik or Luna) testified against him.