UGA wraps up investigation of music-downloading extortion


University of Georgia police have closed a months-long investigation into a former employee’s alleged scheme to shake down students who used UGA’s computer network to illegally download music and other copyrighted material, reports the Athens Banner-Herald. When police arrested internet security analyst Dorin Dehelean three months ago, they were sure he had tried to extort more students than the woman who reported him, UGA police Chief Jimmy Williamson said. Following Dehelean’s arrest, UGA police assured students they would not face criminal charges or administrative sanctions for violating the university’s computer policy if they had a similar story to tell police. But no one else came forward. That means a Clarke County grand jury will consider whether to indict Dehelean on a single count of theft by extortion, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. As a security analyst with UGA’s Enterprise Information Technology Services, Dehelean would receive notices of copyright violations from music and movie companies, then notify Student Judiciary about infractions. He contacted a student Jan. 25 and told her she’d been caught violating the copyrighted material policy, but he could make the infraction disappear for $800, police said. The student told Dehelean that she didn’t have the money, and after they negotiated for a lower price, the student told the police…

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